Rant: Is LinkedIn Trying To Take Over My Life?

It's just past noon, and I've already received FIVE e-mails from LinkedIn today: 1. Job anniversaries from my network 2. Who's viewing my profile 3. An invitation to try LinkedIn Ads 4. LinkedIn Pulse (more network updates) 5. New jobs in my area Damn. Yes, I'm sure I can (and will) opt-out of any or all of these, but what kind of default is it to bombard customers with so many e-mails? It's insane really. Also comes off a bit self-important and arrogant. I sort of subconsciously noticed a creeping increase in communications from them, but it really just hit me today. That may be because I just realized yesterday that I was getting actual "Likes" and comments on a new profile photo I uploaded. Why are they trying to be Facebook? That's not why I signed up. It started as a good idea, but they've layered on crap that takes my time/focus and adds no value, given its purported purpose. Why do I need to know or congratulate someone for being on their job another year? Why do I care that they updated their profile pic? At least 75% of the updates via e-mail and their "feed" are 100% useless and seem like weak excuses to somehow keep me connected to LinkedIn. And now, 5 e-mails by midday. It occurs to you at some point that this is meta-stuff. It's technology run amok and an example of a service that at some point started to require more from you than you get from it. You're no longer working or networking. Instead, you're spending your time managing LinkedIn and possibly paying them for the honor. Maybe I'm a bit crusty today, but too many things are working to insinuate themselves into our lives these days and trying to demand our attention. It's especially off-putting when a service like LinkedIn positions itself as a must-have for professionals, people buy into the notion, then the service begins to morph and "take over". Maybe it's time to unplug and link out.