I don't want to reply to every single reply here, so I'll clarify here. I'm not trying to say networking is cold and calculating, or it's bad or whatever. Ther

I don't want to reply to every single reply here, so I'll clarify here. I'm not trying to say networking is cold and calculating, or it's bad or whatever. There are 2 points I'm trying to make: 1. Networking isn't inherently about important things, and talking about important things isn't necessarily networking. "What kind of embedded database do you use for that?" can be a great networking question, and maybe it's interesting and relevant to your job, but it isn't necessarily the most important thing to you. Asking "what happens when we die" is generally not a good networking question. I just don't think defining networking as "talking about important things" is correct. 2. People who try very hard at networking to get themselves ahead, with no concern for others, are annoying. Maybe "chronic networkers" is the wrong way to put this, and I don't have a good way to describe it. But sometimes people give off a vibe that they just want to leech off of other people and learn their names so they can ask for a favor later. I'm complaining about the phonies who talk like manipulative car salesmen, not the amicable people who want to meet at coffee shops to chat and talk shop.