I just suspend all disbelief as a viewer when it comes to the Whisperers. I think it's kinda what you have to do to not be taken out of the show as you're watching it.

 

I have been suspending belief since day 1 LOL.....WALKERS!

 

Absolutely, lol but even in fantasy worlds, within that world, there are rules. Now the living humans in this series are basically us. We get them and any of the groups we've met to date have been acting within the boundaries of what we've actually seen happen at various times in RL, true? We've seen bullies, and men who want absolute power and use that power to commit atrocities, Even cannibalism has reared it's head from time to time.

The Whisperers seem to defy what know about humankind in general. They seem so far out there, from what little we have learned so far, that we are genuinely horrified that there are people who would want to survive in the manner they've chosen. Who the hell lives like this? Makes me wonder, at least, about the mental stability of such a group. A whole colony of psychopaths is exactly what our groups don't need at this time. It's scary.....they make me really nervous. Won't be surprised if I develop facial tic or something before this arc is over. Lol

 

I'll pop my reply in a spoiler box as it's based on the comics as I read them

 

There was only one Whisperer among that front group, I mean only one of them went "oof" when they got an arrow in the head. The whisperers mainly stay back and direct the herd. However since they can't reveal themselves, constantly staying back would be noticed if the fight took to long. As for allowing themselves to be killed and acting like Walkers, well that is because they are cultists and insane. In order to walk with the herds, they need to take on the herds mentality after all.

 

Well, the Whisperers might be cultists.
But it is also possible that they are all former employees/stuntmen of a AMC who were trained to walk like a walker in the pre-ZA era.