Text Messaging vs face to face communication

So I am quite aware of the fact, that I can be seen as someone who is addicted to my cell phone. And I know that I send my fair share of text msgs! Its kind of fun, and in some cases it is cheaper for me to send a text msg to someone than it is to make the long distance phone call. However, I watched something the other night, and I can only hope that I am not that bad. But just to be safe, I am going to attempt to change my ways.. Anyway so the other night I went to this small gathering for a guy at work. He quit CT and is moving to do something with the pine beetle. Anyway so we were all hanging out, and I was talking to this guy Ben, and we looked around the room. And every single person in the room (except for me and Ben) had out their cell phones, and they were either talking on them, or sending text msgs. And I looked at Ben and I was like wow, talk about anti-social people. Here we are all in a room, yet no one was talking to each other. And the more I started thinking about it, it seems as though our society is turning this way more and more. People are becoming more self absorbed (perhaps not the right word but go with me on this one). More and more you see people walking down the street listening to their ipods, drowning out what is going on around them. One night I went to the movies with some people. And one of the people I was with, was sending text msgs while watching the movie! Even I am not that bad, I turn the cell phone off when I am at movies...
Anyway so the other night at this party, I said to Ben, I really hope that I am not that bad. So I am trying this thing, where I ignore the constant beep of my phone when I am watching tv with the family (in fact some days I leave it in another room haha). And I try to not respond to as many text msgs when I am out with friends.. I realized that the ppl with I am with is just as good company, if not better than the ppl I am sending text msgs too. So to any of you, who put up with my constant txt msgs I am sorry! And to the rest of the world.. When you are with a group of ppl, put the phone away ;) We want to talk to you...