I'm disappointed with the evolution of some parts of the Design community. I've noticed a trend of networking interactions with a price tag. Has anyone else noticed this?

It's an inevitable result given the whole "prove your worth" mentality of being in design combined with a lack of progressive/genuine leadership (who, by in large, are the ones telling us all that we need to "prove ourselves" lol)

I get that, plus the approach has been common in other industries. Never loved the brain-rot of 'monetize your entire existence'. haha. Maybe just hopeful it wouldn't bleed too deep into Design. But I also know we're in a tough market and leaving money on the table can be scary.