Look, I get that talking to folks who worked with you previously has some value, but it's such an imposition to request to contact a bunch of people and ask them to speak on record about you for a job you might not even get. Worse, some companies require references to write up a piece about you, forcing you to force your colleagues to preform uncompensated labor so you can have the possibility of landing a job. And all these issues don't even account for the abundance of people leaving toxic work environments without good professional relationships because their former coworkers/managers are abusive. It's a distressing practice and I don't think we should continue with it.
I apologize that this wasn't the most coherent post, but I'm pissed off that I can't apply for a job that I want because I don't feel comfortable asking people to have to put up with being grilled about me for the second time in a year.