That's correct, but you're putting yourself in a place with other like-minded people and by meeting them in person in that context it gives you an opportunity t

That's correct, but you're putting yourself in a place with other like-minded people and by meeting them in person in that context it gives you an opportunity to get an initial feel for someone to see if you want to continue the relationship further - maybe lunch to share ideas or working on a small project together - pretty soon you're building a real relationship. These meetings would be a starting point not an end point.