With all the technology, books, and other distractions, it is hard to live in the present. I struggle with this also. I'm sure it will be worse for my kids, who are bookworms, too. My social skills have always been lacking, so I use social gatherings to try to improve those skills. Growing up, it was mostly livestock. They never complained about my social skills.
One day, perhaps a bunch of people will sit together, but only communicate through their smartphones, without looking at each other or talking.