Implicit in this quote is that some people are "legit" and others are not, a distinction that is primarily determined through social relationships. For example, at a Digg meetup in November 2008, I was talking to Valleywag blogger Nick Douglas when a woman came up to us, took our picture, and immediately handed us cards promoting her "Smart Mom's Network." Her business card had three different product links on it, an e-mail address, and a cell phone number. Neither of us knew her and we were not employed in a field related to her business, so this networking seemed both aggressive and meaningless. Indiscriminately blanketing an event with business cards shows a lack of access to those networks necessary to make a business a success, and demonstrates a limited understanding of who is or is not considered important (Nick and I were not important). Networking only works if you are already somewhat inside the network.

Alice E. Marwick, Status Update, loc. 203