Whisper House to no longer hold human auctions
Posted by Larissa on 05/29/17
As many of you know the Whisper House hosted an auction a few weeks ago. We asked many of the nobility and other prominent figures of our society to stand on the the auction block in the name of charity and it was undoubtedly and unquestionably a resounding success. Not only were we inundated with so many wonderful willing participents, which was a gracious honor, but we were also able to raise close to a million silver to help rebuild the city after the seige and it made a great impact on these efforts. I consider this an outstanding success and one I am so proud to have been able to play a part in.
But then a lone voice, singular and brave spoke up in a crowd of hundreds and asked one very important question... "At what cost?" And it's such a simple question that it would have been easy to brush it aside without a moment of consideration. We were successful. Everyone was happy. What does it matter what one voice says or thinks? What sway can one person possibly have over hundreds? How important is one question from one man? - Not very, it seems. In the general sense of things as no one else wanted to stop and listen. No one else wanted to admit that one voice with one question might matter enough to leave an impact, and that is why I did. And I am glad I did. - Perspective is a powerful thing, it can change the course of history, it can change the entire scope of someones beliefs or standards and I am grateful whenever I am offered the chance to view something from someone elses persepective as I learn more than I knew before. So when I was introduced to a new perspective regarding the auction of human beings it gave me pause and much to consider.
We are, for all intents and purposes a thriving and successful nation. We are privelaged in ways that we don't even know we should appreciate. Things like freedom and worth and enjoyment are very easy concepts to us, but they may be concepts that we take for granted. I would like to make clear that I do not believe that what Arx particpated in a few weeks ago was anything close to an auction of true slavery. Everyone who participated was appreciated and honored by the time and effort they put in. Everyone who bid did so in the name of charity and prosperity. But when all things are said and done we can not deny that we put a price on a human life and celebrated the fact of it. - That is what gives me pause. That is the sound of one voice speaking and leaving an impact. We as a society pander many goods, it is the backbone of our society. We sell chattel, we sell livery, we sell food and cloth, we sell jewels.. We sell objects of prosperity and we grow wealthy because of them. These are things that can be weighed and measured by price. But we would never think to truly put a price on each other, on humanity, or on human worth. - Until the moment we turn it into a game, and that is our auction was. And because it was a game and because we enjoyed the playing of it and justified our actions by acts of charity, we pointedly ignored the fact that we were celebrating an act most of us would find grotesque under it's actual circumstance. - And while no harm was done on any level by our playing.. it was a step in a direction that does not need to be taken. It is a small thing, an act of solidarity, a point that should be made and one that I will stand behind as the Voice of the Whisper House and with the blessing of the Radiant. That point is this - That we as humans, we as a sentient race with strength and honor and wisdom; that we, with our histories and our wars and the ground that we stand upon and have bled for and have fought for and have died for; that we will continue to stand with the integrity of belief that some games are beneath us to play and that some games cast long shadows behind us. That we will put a price upon oxen and swine but we will never put a price on a human being because there is no price that can encompas the worth of a soul. Not in the name of charity, not in the whim of a game, not for enjoyment, not for gain - We as a people are capable of holding ourselves to higher standards. And to that point I speak for the Whisper House when I announce that we will no longer host or participate in auctions dealing in humans. We will offer our city any and every other means of entertainment. We will hosts contests and balls and games and shows and concerts. We will spoil our society with beauty and music and art and dance. But we will not condone the acceptance of putting monetary value on a single human being. I understand that this is not the popular opinion and I understand that it may look as though I pander to one persons request against everyone elses and for those of you who find fault in my statement, I can only aplogize and ask for understanding. I believe that it is more important now than it ever has been that this distinction is made. That as we walk into our future it is the strength of pride and compassion we leave in our wake.
But then a lone voice, singular and brave spoke up in a crowd of hundreds and asked one very important question... "At what cost?" And it's such a simple question that it would have been easy to brush it aside without a moment of consideration. We were successful. Everyone was happy. What does it matter what one voice says or thinks? What sway can one person possibly have over hundreds? How important is one question from one man? - Not very, it seems. In the general sense of things as no one else wanted to stop and listen. No one else wanted to admit that one voice with one question might matter enough to leave an impact, and that is why I did. And I am glad I did. - Perspective is a powerful thing, it can change the course of history, it can change the entire scope of someones beliefs or standards and I am grateful whenever I am offered the chance to view something from someone elses persepective as I learn more than I knew before. So when I was introduced to a new perspective regarding the auction of human beings it gave me pause and much to consider.
We are, for all intents and purposes a thriving and successful nation. We are privelaged in ways that we don't even know we should appreciate. Things like freedom and worth and enjoyment are very easy concepts to us, but they may be concepts that we take for granted. I would like to make clear that I do not believe that what Arx particpated in a few weeks ago was anything close to an auction of true slavery. Everyone who participated was appreciated and honored by the time and effort they put in. Everyone who bid did so in the name of charity and prosperity. But when all things are said and done we can not deny that we put a price on a human life and celebrated the fact of it. - That is what gives me pause. That is the sound of one voice speaking and leaving an impact. We as a society pander many goods, it is the backbone of our society. We sell chattel, we sell livery, we sell food and cloth, we sell jewels.. We sell objects of prosperity and we grow wealthy because of them. These are things that can be weighed and measured by price. But we would never think to truly put a price on each other, on humanity, or on human worth. - Until the moment we turn it into a game, and that is our auction was. And because it was a game and because we enjoyed the playing of it and justified our actions by acts of charity, we pointedly ignored the fact that we were celebrating an act most of us would find grotesque under it's actual circumstance. - And while no harm was done on any level by our playing.. it was a step in a direction that does not need to be taken. It is a small thing, an act of solidarity, a point that should be made and one that I will stand behind as the Voice of the Whisper House and with the blessing of the Radiant. That point is this - That we as humans, we as a sentient race with strength and honor and wisdom; that we, with our histories and our wars and the ground that we stand upon and have bled for and have fought for and have died for; that we will continue to stand with the integrity of belief that some games are beneath us to play and that some games cast long shadows behind us. That we will put a price upon oxen and swine but we will never put a price on a human being because there is no price that can encompas the worth of a soul. Not in the name of charity, not in the whim of a game, not for enjoyment, not for gain - We as a people are capable of holding ourselves to higher standards. And to that point I speak for the Whisper House when I announce that we will no longer host or participate in auctions dealing in humans. We will offer our city any and every other means of entertainment. We will hosts contests and balls and games and shows and concerts. We will spoil our society with beauty and music and art and dance. But we will not condone the acceptance of putting monetary value on a single human being. I understand that this is not the popular opinion and I understand that it may look as though I pander to one persons request against everyone elses and for those of you who find fault in my statement, I can only aplogize and ask for understanding. I believe that it is more important now than it ever has been that this distinction is made. That as we walk into our future it is the strength of pride and compassion we leave in our wake.