But what if that stranger turns out to be another hacker? An entrepreneur? What if you hit it off really well with that stranger and end up being great friends? What if that person ends up getting you your next job?

Granted, the probability any of the above happening is quite low, but just having a chat with someone when you're, say, waiting for a bus is not going to waste your time. You don't have to actively seek out strangers to talk to.

BTW, when it comes to social skills, I give myself 1 out of 10.