> but what struck me is that nobody really wanted to keep in touch after the meeting beyond adding each other on LinkedIn

This is why I gradually stopped attending local events and meetups. When I first graduated college and started going to events and meetups there was a sense that everyone wanted to be part of a community first, and the presentations were a chance for community members to take turns putting together something for the group.

Over time the meetups started attracting more people who just wanted something transactional out of the group: They would show up, present, then only stay long enough to try to gauge if they could get anything out of the audience: Recruit them as customers for their startup, get contacts for fundraising, find someone who might offer them a job, or some other goal they were seeking. They would stay long enough to collect LinkedIn contacts and then leave, many never returning again unless they had something else they wanted out of the group.

It only takes a few sessions where meetup attendees arrive expecting a community discussion but then realize they’re being pitched someone’s startup or being mined for business leads. Then they lose interest in attending future events. The meetups became a shell of the former community. I still attend events from time to time but it often feels like most people are just there for networking and move on from conversations as soon as they determine the other person isn’t in a position to get them a job