Exactly, 'careful' implies that you are a powerless sheep - which is actually true for an alarming percentage of the population. I think Paul Buchheit's recent

Exactly, 'careful' implies that you are a powerless sheep - which is actually true for an alarming percentage of the population. I think Paul Buchheit's recent article 'Two paths to success' does a very good job of illustrating the distinction between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Seems like one's personal ratio of extrinsic vs intrinsic motivation can be used as a sort of co-efficient that limits or enhances how you are influenced by your network. Further, if you pick some of the most intrinsically motivated entrepreneurs and innovators, you will find many people who will actually be affected negatively by what their network is doing. In my opinion, for the sake of innovation, the world needs far more entrepreneurs and technologists who are highly intrinsically motivated, and far far less people who are so impressionable that the need to be 'careful' about who they work with. Just like you say, there is something to be learned from everyone.