If you are a simple working professional (i.e. not chasing clout, leads, or candidates) using LinkedIn is simple: * Do not look at the feed. Ever. You are unab

If you are a simple working professional (i.e. not chasing clout, leads, or candidates) using LinkedIn is simple: * Do not look at the feed. Ever. You are unable to meaningfully curate it, or even create things a la Twitter Lists to separate the wheat from the chaff. It is garbage; ignore it. * Do not connect with recruiters or direct sellers (read: real estate agents, financial planners, influencers in your field, etc), ever. They are worthless connections, and you can still receive and send messages without a connection, if it's actually something of interest to you. * Keep your personal profile up to date and shiny for prospective employers and colleagues. This is just basic career hygiene in the 21st century. * Do look at the notifications - it's still got useful information like people changing jobs, getting promoted, work anniversaries, etc. that provide direct opportunities to keep up the relationship. (Notifications have started getting spammier ... but anything at all valuable is there.) * Endorse, recommend, and directly reach out to your actual colleagues you admrie and wish to endorse, and don't be shy about directly asking them to reciprocate. That's it; you can maintain healthy relationships with your peers and ex-colleagues, establish a working brand for your skills and experience for others to find you, and avoid all the nonsense OP is rightfully scornful of.