“To be fair, why can’t there be texting phones...?”
Are you there to watch a movie or text and/or talk on the phone?
Maybe movie theaters should have a sealed, sound proof section in the back of each movie viewing room for all the obnoxious people who are loud, text and talk on their cellphones, smoke and the like.
Nobody said “talk on the phone” — that’s your straw man.
How about I ask if you’re there to watch the audience?!?
Texting is the new socialization. If someone wants to comment on a movie in the middle of it and can do so quietly and invisibly to anyone watching the screen — I say more power to them. “OMG wat a gr8 mv” might motivate someone else not in the place to attend in the near future.
Waaay back in the 1970's, theaters did have that room. Parents with children, etc. could stay in there and watch the movie without worrying about distracting other patrons.