They say that if you "want to be famous or successful, you do what the famous or successful do."
I don't know what your goals are, but I don't want to be a member of an old boys' club or 'authortarian' (group of authors who will always have a bestseller despite the crap they put out) monopolies and critical darlings.
There are some things that I have set out to accomplish, in my own way, and on my terms. I like to call them "personal goals." Surely, those things will take longer than the established networking or ass-kissing way, but hey, who's counting.
There are things that are important to me, and because of that, I adhere to–and believe in–that standard. They are few and far between, but I have them.
I still trust the New Yorker.
I still buy everything Chuck Palahniuk makes.
I still think the publishing industry isn't dead, just sick, and not ready to start homeopathic remedies quite yet.
It doesn't matter if people get it right now or ever.
If it's authentic and you're doing it for the right reasons, people will find you and love you for it, or love it for you.