It’s the end of the world as we know it: a new survey finds that 35% of respondents would rather send text messages on their Blackberry than, you know, talk about baseball with their spouse.

The Blackberry, known affectionately as the “Crackberry” because of its addictive properties, is pitched by manufacturer Research in Motion (RIMM) as a productivity tool. Hah! The survey finds that the now-indispensable gizmo is a way for corporate America to tighten the capitalist chains around its workers’ twitching necks.

The survey found that 85% of American professionals surveyed say wireless technology compels them to stay connected to work around the clock; 81% say they work harder than they did 5 years ago.

The survey, conducted by StudyLogic for Sheraton Hotels & Resorts (HOT), is a shameless promotion for the company’s latest “signature” offering: “Link@Sheraton, experienced with Microsoft (MSFT)."

This, as you might have guessed, is a “unique” (what else?) lounge that allows guests to stay connected through a free Wi-Fi connection. And that, gentle reader, is G.O.O.D - which means Global Out-of-Office day, for those not in the know.

Future sociologists will, no doubt, pore over the responses from 1,500 people who participated in the survey. Never mind that it’s not a random sample - and therefore tells us nothing beyond the fact that you can get 1,500 people to participate in a survey.

What does it say about us as a people that 84% of respondents say they check their PDAs just before going to bed each night and first thing when they wake up? It may suggest a need for more baseball, but such weighty questions are best left to the sociologists.

The depravity continues. Did you know that 85% of respondents say they check their PDA’s in the middle of the night? No? Well, now that you do, can you trade on the information?