This is a linkpost for http://particularvirtue.blogspot.com/2017/05/how-to-build-community-full-of-lonely.html
Distinctly social strikes me as reading a newspaper.
In many fields networking is essential to success.
These statements do not disagree with each other. If it is necessary to be social, be social. If I worked in a job where knowing what paper-reader attitude is, then I would read the paper. But I wouldn't read the weekend paper for fun.
I would not be encouraging social more than it is necessary. Unless you have a strategy surrounding trying to be in the right place at the right time for serendipitous opportunity.
Even computer programmers who spent the majority of their working output working alone can benefit a lot from having good connections when it comes to finding good jobs.
Finding jobs isn't the only thing were social connection helps. If you have an health issue than it can help a lot if you have a friend who knows a good doctor. If the friend has a personal relationship to the doctor it might mean that you get an immediate appointment instead of having to wait weeks.
I personally don't do social events like board game nights that are basically superficial fun but prefer events with provide additional value, but I think it's a mistake to see social events generally as low value.