"I don't want to "like" them or add them to my social networks. I just want to read their shit."

+1 this nails it. I do share content links a few times a month on twitter and g+ but basically I want to read interesting stuff.

I have also started to realize that I rely too much on HN and Prismatic - nice sources of interesting material, but still limited. This appropriate shit storm over google moving to a walled g+ garden has increased my use (again) of RSS.