Silence of the Friends

In “Friendships have never been so easy – or so silent,” an editorial featured in the Globe and Mail, Judith Timson discusses the recent prevalence of virtual communication as the main mode of sustaining friendships, and examines the upsides and downsides of this phenomenon through the use of statistics, expert testimonies, and anecdotal evidence. Timson tactfully expresses concerns over the declining face-to-face bonding time shared between friends without overtly pronouncing her bias against online connecting, and superficially applauds the convenience of virtual communication while hinting at the irreplaceable importance of face-to-face bonding. Ultimately, Timson strives to instill friendship appreciation into the readers, reminding them that efficient management of friendships should always be undergirded by emotional support via face-to-face contact.

Timson launches the article with an empathetic tone by describing the commonly relatable experience of maintaining friendships via online communication, and coining the term “silent friendships” to emphasize this phenomenon as the main focus of her article, and further provides the readers with statistics and expert testimonies that explicate her concerns. Somewhat resignedly, Timson admits her following with the flow, while insinuating her slight dissatisfaction with the friendship practice of “go[ing] for weeks if not months without seeing each other or hearing each other’s voices.” To establish an impression of the degree to which online communication has revolutionized people’s, especially women’s, friendships, Timson cites a well-known, reliable source to show that her concerns are by no means excessive or exaggerative. Moreover, Timson fearfully, albeit calmly, ponders o...

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...ossible failure encountered by the readers prompt them into thinking critically of the dynamics of a healthy friendship, and encourage the readers to contemplate ways of improving their interpersonal relationships.

Ultimately, “Friendships have never been so easy – or so silent” is an editorial wrapped with subtle yet strong criticism of the dependence of friendship bonding via technologies and passionate praises for the value of face-to-face communication. Timson employs statistics, expert testimonies, and anecdotal evidence to convey to the readers that face-to-face interactions offer sentimentalism that online communication lacks. While Timson might have repelled some readers with her overly tactful expressions, the article is nonetheless a well-written piece that is relatable to most who have had firsthand experience of Timson’s concept of “silent friendships.”