Deleuze: rhizome

I am reading a chapter in Deleuze and Guattari (1988) about this concept, although I have not found this concept particularly useful from what I have read so far.  Other than prevailing dichotomic approach to describing the world, Deleuze proposes rhizome, which is very diverse and dynamic.  It can have multiple connections with a range of subjects and objects.  On the other hand it has no points or positions within itself.  Most people can argue that this is basically the nature of almost everything, and rhizome cannot give more insights than reductionist dichotomies.

However, the latter characteristics of rhizome may be more interesting: multiplicity, asignification of rupture, nature of cartography.  It is heterogeneous yet can be divided, illustratable yet untraceable. 

Deleuze also linked the idea of rhizome to "the East".  Compared to Western attachment to tree, the Eastern culture is somewhat like grass: the rhizome.  But this may be another kind of dualism.

The form of the book itself is quite subtle, even in some kind of chaos.  Rhizome may never be fully understood in the context of such form and Western writings -- they are not abstract enough.  It does provide a way of thinking, though maybe not explaining or interpreting.  I can look at many, almost any, things as rhizomes, but once I begin to explain something using this perspective, it is not rhizome any more, at least in certain scales.

There are sociology researches trying to use rhizome in the formation of their theories.  But I think to grasp the idea, one has to solidify it to some point.  Therefore to some extent it is not rhizome anymore!  This is a bit mysticism but currently I cannot better understand this....