Jennifer Wrote:Another great example of people saying something perhaps they don't mean is I went to a auction (personally I can't remember which auction it was) where the auctioneer basically said... people shouldn't come to auctions if they don't plan to buy. This has kinda turned me off to going to auctions.
I know which auctioneer said this and I believe the context is very important. I do not believe that she would ever suggest that new breeders who are just getting their footing should be pressured into purchasing cats that they don't want. Nor is she strict with rules.
Let me explain:
Auctions in SL are often under-attended. Why this is so and how it can be fixed is another thread. But let me say that one can not-infrequently end up at an auction where the only people in the audience are people who also have cats up for bid on the podiums. In this situation, everybody is an experienced breeder who knows the scene. And the auction often runs like a round-robin: I buy your cat, somebody buys my cat, and most of the cats in the auction get bought. Nobody makes profit in that situation. But it actually does help build catteries and creates bonds between the people who attend those auctions. I think that what the auctioneer means by "be prepared to buy" is simply that if one is in that situation where the audience is small, yes, one steps up and supports the community and buys a cat. Again, I don't think she really means it to apply to someone who is just learning the scene.
