If you find yourself in a society where you need connection before you get a job then that's a failed system, and it isn't like this all over the world. It really hurts when I see things like this, because the younger generation will grow to accept this system and before you know it, it would begin to seem normal which is actually the biggest problem.
The biggest problem in any society is normalizing corruption, once it starts it spreads like wild.
You need connections to get a job in every society. Well, if you simply want to get a job, you don't need any connection to work in warehouse and delivery because these are shitty jobs with shitty treatment and shitty payments but if you want a high paying job where you work in a clean and beautiful environment and get paid handsomely well, then you definitely need connections.
I somehow agree that world has changed. But I do not think that skills and education have become meaningless over the period of time. They are foundation for getting long term success. The difference is today, having qualification alone is not enough. Clients and employers all value communication and ability to present your work efficiently. So skills with self promotion should be combined together.
Connections should never be the deciding factor for every opportunity. If hiring or business started depending on whom they know rather than what they can actually do for their business, then they might have to face loss. Everyone should try to adapt themselves to improve themselves. To learn the technical abilities about the digital world, networking and also work on personal branding.
Skills and education are not meaningless but they aren't skill to success if you can't market yourself well. Today we live in an attention economy, where people like iShowSpeed earn millions of dollars by making silly facial mimics and making people laugh on YouTube. Yes, these things pay more than any skill pays today.