LinkedIn or Bot-Land? The Alarming Decline of Real Human Connections

Please read this only if you like reading stories that leave provoking thoughts.

Not too long ago, LinkedIn was a place where professionals genuinely connected — where conversations sparked collaborations, and opportunities were built on trust and merit. But today, it's turning into something else entirely.

Let me paint you a picture.

You receive a connection request from someone who seems fairly reasonable — perhaps they're exploring opportunities or looking to collaborate. Now, you have three choices: ignore, reject, or accept.

Me being in the people industry, where People are both my Raw Material and my Product, I've always leaned towards giving all around a fair chance. If someone takes the effort to reach out, the least I can do is acknowledge them. But for the most part, I genuinely try.

But here's where it gets tricky. I can't possibly respond to every message, and I have my reasons:

1. The perfectly polished, professional messages

More often than not, they're just cleverly disguised bots. And honestly, it's disappointing.

2. Messages that seem personal — except they're glorified sales pitches

I've lost count of how many times I've been congratulated on achievements I never knew I had, only to be offered certifications in return.

Imagine a Ph.D. holder in Kathak being offered a PMP or Six Sigma certification. Sure, certifications have their place, but do they really add value — especially when you have no idea about the subject, haven't taken an exam, and don't even know what the abbreviation stands for?

At first, I laughed. But then, I paused. I also use AI. I personally have substantial dependency on GPTs — not one, but many. There is a contribution in this write-up as well.

We constantly talk about AI replacing human jobs, and like the ones we've been through before, we've built resilience against it. But maybe, just maybe, we need to start paying equal attention to CS — Common Sense.

The world is changing faster than ever, and I wonder — the now-complaining me — am I also not caught up in this cycle? Even if I want to bring change in this game, will I succeed when the game itself keeps evolving?

My takeaway

Yes, we must embrace change with open arms and a broad mindset — we do not have a choice. But we must not let that change strip away what makes us HUMAN.

To all who have read this and could relate, please drop a comment. At least my feeling that CS (common sense) still exists will become stronger.