Whispering. Our parents often whispered to us as infants, soothing and calming us in our fussiness. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't, but nevertheless many of us today still find the sound of a whisper to be relaxing and calming. It can put us at ease, slow us down, and lower our stress levels.
It should come as little surprise, then, that some individuals have managed to carve out a slice of the internet by producing Youtube videos of themselves whispering. Whether they read poems, sing songs, or simply ramble about their lives, they are a part of a very fast growing subculture in cyberspace.
A Thousand Whispers
There are so many whispering channels on Youtube today that it is hard to keep track of them all. From children to adults, they share a common passion for communicating with the world by whispering into a microphone .
They range from amateur to professional quality, and cover a incredible range of styles and topics. Some produce relaxation and meditation videos, others whisper while reviewing movies or videogames, and even more simply chat with their listeners. The creativity and passion these individuals is yet another demonstration of the staggering variety of human experience to be found within cyberspace.
A Genuine Community
The community of whisperers is extremely dynamic, with many experimenting with different ideas and others borrowing on these ideas. They frequently reference and promote each other in their videos, and it seems to be a real community of friendly strangers who work together to promote the subculture they all share.
The community is worldwide, ranging from North America to Europe and beyond. There seems to be large concentration of whisperers in the UK specifically, but the community has grown dramatically in the last couple of years.
The Whispering Voice
In all my study and enjoyment of this subculture, one whisperer in particular seems to stand at the forefront. The Whispering Voice is perhaps the most passionate and innovative whisperer on the web.
A somewhat enigmatic figure (he has produced to date 135 videos and, unlike many whisperers, has never shown his face,) he hails from North Wales, and is arguably the most respected member of the whispering community. Many other whisperers mention him as an inspiration, and he (to date) has almost 5600 subscribers and over 500,000 total channel views since his debut in July of 2009.
The Whispering Voice is the perfect entry for those who want to explore this growing subculture, as he produces a stunning variety of videos and cheerfully promotes new and favorite whisperers in his videos. His videos range from relaxation, hiking, cooking, poetry, fitness, and whispering about his three cats and his daily life living near Snowdonia National Park. He also keeps up on current events and has produced very thoughtful and sensitive videos on the recent Tsunami in Japan, the riots in London, and the anniversary of 9/11.
Growing Fast
In our busy, noisy, and hectic daily life, it is beneficial to find moments of quiet and peace to recharge. If you find the sound of whispering or softly-speaking voices to be relaxing, you owe it to yourself to check out these individuals. Listening to (free!) whisper videos produced by a vibrant community of like-minded souls is a great way to slow down and find our center.
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