What's wrong with socializing in the gym?

[naviator]

Yesterday, I came across a CNN opinion article that really bugged me. In a nutshell, the female author griped and whined that gyms were essentially turning into day time "nightclub" scenes, and that any women dressed-up in cute and sexy gym attire, as well as any men who tried to start a conversation with an attractive woman, was a "lurker," and not really there to workout. i.e., you're basically a pest and no better than a nightclub loser if you socialize in the gym, and, from what I made of the comments, mostly women seemed to agree. I couldn't help but remind this author that had her parents been as antisocial as her nightclub gym theory, she would never have been born to waste time writing such rubbish, because they would've been too antisocial to have met in the first place. Through socializing in the gym, I've established a lot of great friendships, ranging anywhere from a casual hangout buddy, to a long term personal and/or productive business relationship. Not that the answer is going to change my behavior in the gym, but I was just curious what the general consensus is about that; what the hell is wrong with a little coincidental socializing in the gym, as long as you're respectful and considerate?