[TeMPOraL]

I wouldn't say it's bad, it's just different.

The text vs. call is an example of technology removing obstacles and inefficiencies. In your example, both of the conversations lead to people meeting face-to-face, but only one of them could be done while on a bus, or in between work meetings. Text-based communication enabled us to talk in situations when it wasn't possible before. I fondly remember late-night IM talks with my friends when I was in high-school. This is not something we could do on the phone, both because of stupidly high costs and because other people in our houses were sleeping.

RE most people solving their own problems, I think that's a) good, and b) not what actually happens. Good, because it means less time wasted for everyone in aggregate; not what really happens, because the world is getting more complicated and people delegate more and more understanding to third parties. Also, that we can solve some problems on our own doesn't mean there aren't other, more complicated problems - for help with which we end up calling the family or friends after all.

The world is fine, at least in this aspect.