V is for Video Game Vendetta

I need a mini-rant right now. I think I am beginning to hate hand-held video games. Or, rather, I hate how kids act when they have these things in their hands. They completely zone out and act like rude obnoxious little twerps to everyone including and especially their parents.

In a pizza shop one day, this exchange:

Father: " So then I think we will head over to the batting cages before dinner and then after that...."
Son: (looking down at his little gadget and walking slowly into other people) "Could you like, stop talking?"

WHAT!? And what did the father do? He stopped talking!! Who is in charge here?

In the library we have a mom, daughter and son looking for books. Well, to be fair, mom and daughter looking for books for son. Son is completely immersed in video game and cannot spare a second to look at me and tell me what he wants. So mom keeps asking him what animal he wants to do this report on and he responds with grunts and "Hmm." So mom and I go on a search, all the while son is zoned out in front of the game. Mom brings him book after book, to which he gives a cursory glance and a random grunt. My fellow librarian said my face was turning red as I tried to control my rage. The mother not once told her son to "PUT DOWN THE FREAKEN GAME AND DO YOUR OWN FREAKEN HOMEWORK!!!!" Which is what I really, really, really wanted to say. It was so infuriating.

When did parents stop telling their kids to be respectful? And when did they start taking abuse from their own offspring? I don't want to judge here, but I just feel like if I were in that situation I would have taken the game out their hands, turned it off, and told them to get on task. I know my parents would never have taken that kind of behavior from me. Am I just destined to be a very mean parent? Oh well, at least my kids will have a semblance of manners.