Have we lost our souls in a constant quest for speed, entertainment, and convenience?

There’s Something Terribly Rude About Texting on a PDA During Conversation describes 4 stages of abandonment:

1. Confusion – the abandoned conversationalists are simply bewildered, wondering “Why is this happening to me? Why aren’t they listening?
2. Uncomfortable – “How long is this going to last? What should I do?”
3. Irritation – “Is this really more important to you right now?”
4. Outrage – That’s when you put up your defenses, and your facial expressions change. You lean back, and you just stare.

It’s enough to make you run out to join the Lead Pencil Club. The “Minutes of the Lead Pencil Club” book is a collection that reveals what electronic madness has wrought in our lives and society. Through letters, essays, news clips, poems, cartoons, and testimonials, the members of the Lead Pencil Club suggest how you can restore mindfulness, sanity, and simplicity to your life and the lives of your children. To join, all you have to do is pledge to never substitute an electronic communication for a personal interaction with a person.