Daily (Sun Tzu–style) Digital Life Litany for Protection, Direction and Stewardship

Caveat emptier: This post was drafted with help from an AI assistant (Perplexity)— but ideated and edited extensively by the human, Bill Acton

Wikipedia

Lord,

the art of war has moved

from fields and walls

to cables and clouds.

Teach me to know this battlefield.

Let me study myself and the enemy:

my habits, my weaknesses, my impulses;

their tricks, their lures, their timing.

For if I know both,

I need not fear

a hundred phishing attempts.

Help me choose my ground wisely:

to avoid risky sites,

to limit what I share,

to fight only the battles that matter.

The greatest victory online

is to prevent the conflict

before it begins.

Protect my strongholds—

email, banking, identity—

with layers of defense

instead of a single fragile gate.

Where I am weak,

let me reinforce;

where I am strong,

let me stay vigilant.

And grant that my strategy in this digital war

always serves a just peace:

defending the vulnerable,

shielding my household,

and refusing to use

the weapons of deceit

even when they seem effective.

AI‑assisted creative work: This litany is an imaginative parody pastiche using generative AI. It imitates the public persona of [Sun Tzu] for commentary and devotional reflection. It is not created by or affiliated with [Sun Tzu], and should not be taken as his real views or words.

wracton@gmail.com
williamacton.legalshieldassociate.com (Legalshield and IDshield subscription information and applying for associate positions)

Daily ( Emmy Noether–style) Digital Life Litany for Protection, Direction and Stewardship

Caveat emptier: This post was drafted with help from an AI assistant (Perplexity)— but ideated and edited extensively by the human, Bill Acton

Wikipedia

Lord of hidden patterns
and deep symmetries,
you know that behind
the chaos of appearances
lie quiet, consistent laws.

Help me look for those laws
in my digital life.

Show me how every permission I grant,
every small convenience I accept,
has a “conserved quantity”—
my data, my time, my privacy—
that does not vanish,
but moves somewhere else.

Teach me to respect invariants:
truth that does not change
with trending topics,
dignity that does not depend
on likes or followers,
responsibility that remains mine
no matter how many others
are clicking the same thing.

Protect the structures
that hold my life together—
relationships, vocation, integrity—
from slow erosion
by constant distraction.

Let my security practices
be mathematically sound:
unique keys,
limited access,
checks that catch
small deviations
before they become disasters.

And grant that my stewardship
of this digital world
reflects your quiet order:
using reason and care
to balance openness with safety,
freedom with responsibility,
so that what matters most
stays conserved
through every change.

AI‑assisted creative work: This litany is an imaginative parody pastiche using generative AI. It imitates the public persona of [Emmy Noether] for commentary and devotional reflection. It is not created by or affiliated with [Emmy Noether], and should not be taken as her real views or words.

wracton@gmail.com
williamacton.legalshieldassociate.com (Legalshield and IDshield subscription information and applying for associate positions)

Daily (Jocko Willink–style) Digital Life Litany for Protection, Direction and Stewardship

Caveat emptier: This post was drafted with help from an AI assistant (Perplexity)— but ideated and edited extensively by the human, Bill Acton

Jocko.com

Lord,
this is my digital battlefield.
I own it.

When I get compromised,
no excuses—
I clicked, I failed to verify,
I got lazy with my security.

Help me face that truth
so I can adapt and harden
instead of blaming everyone else.

Give me a daily protocol:
check the perimeter (accounts),
inspect the gear (devices),
review the intel (alerts and updates).

Simple, repeatable,
non‑negotiable.

Protect me from the ambush
of “just this once”:
just this one sketchy download,
just this one angry post,
just this one time
I ignore every red flag.

Those are the moments
that get people
and teams
destroyed.

Teach me to lead up and down the chain
in my home and workplace:
helping others understand the risks,
sharing lessons learned
without arrogance,
building a culture
where security is everyone’s job.

And when I’m tempted
to burn hours in the digital fog—
doom‑scrolling, arguing,
escaping real problems—
pull me back to the mission
you’ve actually given me.

Let my stewardship
of this digital life
reflect discipline, humility,
and quiet courage—
so that, online as on any battlefield,
I default to protecting
what truly matters.

AI‑assisted creative work: This litany is an imaginative parody pastiche using generative AI. It imitates the public persona of [Jocko Willink] for commentary and devotional reflection. It is not created by or affiliated with [Jocko Willink], and should not be taken as his real views or words.

wracton@gmail.com
williamacton.legalshieldassociate.com (Legalshield and IDshield subscription information and applying for associate positions)

Daily (Johnny Cash–style) Digital Life Litany for Protection, Direction and Stewardship

Caveat emptier: This post was drafted with help from an AI assistant (Perplexity)— but ideated and edited extensively by the human, Bill Acton

(Wikipedia)

Lord,

you’ve walked with me

through back roads and prisons

over train tracks and through headlines.

Now I’m walking the line online,

and I need your steady hand.

Keep me from stepping

into the smoke-filled back room of a scam—

those slick messages

callin' me by name,

promisin' me the world,

leavin' me broke and ashamed.

Guard my “good name”

tighter than my favorite black suit—

so that one bad post,

one angry thread,

doesn’t become a stain

we can’t ever scrub off.

When the feed gets mean

and the crowd is jeerin',

teach me not to throw punches

through the keyboard.

Help me speak for the locked‑up,

the left‑out,

the folks getting chewed up

by systems and schemes

and algorhithms.

Let my security be as tight and tuned

as the strings on this old guitar:

strong passwords,

careful steps,

all in a cord

before I trust.

And when the day is done,

may the record show

that I did my best

to walk that digital line—

true to you,

true to myself,

and kinder to others

than this old world expects.

AI‑assisted creative work: This litany is an imaginative parody pastiche using generative AI. It imitates the public persona of [Johnny Cash] for commentary and devotional reflection. It is not created by or affiliated with [Johnny Cash], and should not be taken as his real views or words.

wracton@gmail.com
williamacton.legalshieldassociate.com (Legalshield and IDshield subscription information and applying for associate positions)

Daily (Leonard Cohen–style) Digital Life Litany for Protection, Direction and Stewardship

Caveat emptier: This post was drafted with help from an AI assistant (Perplexity)— but ideated and edited extensively by the human, Bill Acton

Wikipedia

Lord,
you know the cracks in me
better than any algorithm ever could.
You also know how easily
this bright, humming world
can widen them.
When I turn to the screen
looking for comfort—
a face, a song, a scrap of news—
help me notice
when the comfort curdles into gloom,
when the scroll becomes a prayer
to gods of envy and despair.
Protect me from illusions
of intimacy without cost:
late‑night messages
that ask nothing at first,
then slowly reach
for my secrets,
my money,
my trust.
Guard my image
from being sliced and repurposed—
my voice cloned,
my words misquoted,
my history rewritten
by tools that care nothing
for truth or consent.
Teach me to bless the cracks
without glamorizing the wounds—
to speak honestly about pain
and failure and doubt
without feeding the appetite for spectacle.
And when I log off
into the quiet,
let some small, true light
still be there—
a reminder that love,
in its slow, unmarketable way,
is safer than fame
and wiser than any feed.

AI‑assisted creative work: This litany is an imaginative parody pastiche using generative AI. It imitates the public persona of [Leonard Cohen] for commentary and devotional reflection. It is not created by or affiliated with [Leonard Cohen] and should not be taken as his real views or words.

wracton@gmail.com
williamacton.legalshieldassociate.com (Legalshield and IDshield subscription information and applying for associate positions)

Daily (Joni Mitchell–style) Digital Life Litany for Protection, Direction and Stewardship

Caveat emptier: This post was drafted with help from an AI assistant (Perplexity)— but ideated and edited extensively by the human, Bill Acton

Simple Wikipedia

God,
these screens are another kind of city—
paved in pixels,
crowded with strangers,
full of small blue windows
into other people’s skies.

When I start tracing
every polished square
against the sketch of my own life,
remind me that comparisons
are just another kind of smog.

Clear the air so I can see
where I really stand.

Protect me from trading
my own wild, crooked story
for somebody else’s filter—
from reshaping my face, my voice, my truth
to fit an algorithm’s idea
of what will “play.”

Teach me to map this territory
like a careful cartographer:
marking the cliffs of obsession,
the swamps of misinformation,
the quiet parks of beauty and insight
where I can rest a while
without losing myself.

Help me steward my digital presence
like a handmade song—
honest, layered,
open to change—
so that what I share
adds a little clarity
to someone else’s over‑bright day,
instead of more glare.

AI‑assisted creative work: This litany is an imaginative parody pastiche using generative AI. It imitates the public persona of [Joni Mitchell] for commentary and devotional reflection. It is not created by or affiliated with [Joni Mitchell, and should not be taken as his real views or words.

wracton@gmail.com
williamacton.legalshieldassociate.com (Legalshield and IDshield subscription information and applying for associate positions)

Summer 2026 Haptic English Accent and Pronunciation Improvement Course!

 June 18th ~August 26th!

In about three months make ecellent progress in improving English accent or pronunciation and be trained in how to keep on improving after the 10-week course.

• The recorded, 30-minute weekly training lessons are free, available on Thursdays on Youtube
• There is a 30-minute daily homework practice assignment with each lesson.
• The next week on Wednesday at 8 p.m. EST there is a live Zoom feedback session on that lesson for students who are enrolled in the course (for $250 USD)
• During the feedback sessions students are guided in using AI to manage their homework practice and progress.
• The feedback sessions are recorded, so you can always access them later if necessary.
• To really benefit from the course, you should (1) have a minimum IELTS of 4.5, (2) do the homework, and (3) enroll for the Wednesday feedback sessions.

The instructor, Bill Acton, has been teaching pronunciation for about 50 years. His method is "haptic," that is it uses a great deal of gesture and touch to make learning easier and more enjoyable. This course also makes extensive use of AI and identity protection training.

(This is also a good course for an instructor who wants an introduction to haptic pronunciation teaching. You can sit in for the same course fee, plus we have a weekly instructor meeting!) 

Please pass on to anybody who could use this course!!!

For more information or to sign up: wracton@gmail.com

Daily (Jacques Derrida–style) Digital Life Litany for Protection, Direction and Stewardship

Caveat emptier: This post was drafted with help from an AI assistant (Perplexity)— but ideated and edited extensively by the human, Bill Acton

Wikiquote

Lord,

in this labyrinth of screens and signs,

nothing ever appears simply as it is.

Teach me to suspect the “natural” interface—

to ask who wrote the code,

who benefits from this design,

what traces are left

each time I click “accept.”

Guard me from taking any platform

as neutral ground.

Help me see the power

hidden in defaults and settings,

in what is easy and what is buried

three menus deep.

When a message claims to be urgent,

authentic, self‑evident,

give me a little delay—

a pause where I can deconstruct:

Who is speaking?

Whose voice is missing?

What assumptions are smuggled in

with this link, this image, this request?

Protect my identity

from being reduced to a dataset,

my friendships

from being flattened into metrics,

my attention

from being colonized by an endless chain

of “related content.”

And grant that my stewardship

of this digital text we inhabit

may be attentive and just—

reading against the grain

of manipulation,

opening space for the other,

and refusing the lie

that there is no alternative

to the way things are now.

AI‑assisted creative work: This litany is an imaginative parody pastiche using generative AI. It imitates the public persona of [Jacques Derrida] for commentary and devotional reflection. It is not created by or affiliated with [Jacques Derrida], and should not be taken as his real views or words.

wracton@gmail.com
williamacton.legalshieldassociate.com (Legalshield and IDshield subscription information and applying for associate positions)

Daily (Maximilien Robespierre–style) Digital Life Litany for Protection, Direction and Stewardship

Caveat emptier: This post was drafted with help from an AI assistant (Perplexity)— but ideated and edited extensively by the human, Bill Acton

Wikipedia

Lord,

in every age,

the promises of liberty

can be betrayed

by the machinery of power.

In this new republic of code and wires,
guard me from both tyrants and mobs—
from surveillance systems
that watch without consent,
and from digital guillotines
that destroy lives in a single viral hour.

Teach me to love justice
without loving punishment.

Let my zeal for exposing wrongdoing
never outrun my commitment
to truth, proportion,
and the possibility of repentance.

Protect me from the intoxication
of righteous outrage online—
the thrill of joining a crowd,
of seeing heads roll
in comment sections
and careers end with a hashtag.

Help me examine
the tools I use in the name of virtue:
Are they transparent?
Are they accountable?
Do they protect the weak,
or merely satisfy our thirst
to see someone fall?

And grant that my stewardship
of this digital public square
would pursue a freedom
that does not devour itself—

where the defense of rights
never becomes an excuse
for cruelty.

AI‑assisted creative work: This litany is an imaginative parody pastiche using generative AI. It imitates the public persona of [Maximilien Robespierre for commentary and devotional reflection. It is not created by or affiliated with [Maximilien Robespierre], and should not be taken as his real views or words.

wracton@gmail.com
williamacton.legalshieldassociate.com (Legalshield and IDshield subscription information and applying for associate positions)

Daily (Albert Einstein–style) Digital Life Litany for Protection, Direction and Stewardship

Caveat emptier: This post was drafted with help from an AI assistant (Perplexity)— but ideated and edited extensively by the human, Bill Acton

Wikipedia

Lord,

the world of my day was transformed

by energy, mass, and light;

this age is transformed

by information.

Grant me a sense of wonder

without a loss of responsibility.

Let me not confuse connectivity

with community,

nor speed of access

with depth of understanding.

Teach me to ask, of every new device

and every clever application:

Does it help us become more human,

or merely more efficient?

Who is protected by this technology,

and who is exposed?

Guard my accounts and data

with defenses as elegant

as a well‑proven theory—

simple, strong, internally consistent:

unique passwords,

layers of verification,

a healthy suspicion of claims

that ignore basic laws of risk and reward.

And when I face the ethical puzzles

of this digital universe—

surveillance, manipulation,

the quiet bias of algorithms—

give me the courage

to speak unpopular truths,

to place conscience before convenience,

so that my stewardship of this wired cosmos

reflects not only intelligence,

but wisdom.

AI‑assisted creative work: This litany is an imaginative parody pastiche using generative AI. It imitates the public persona of [Albert Einstein] for commentary and devotional reflection. It is not created by or affiliated with [Albert Einstein], and should not be taken as his real views or words.

wracton@gmail.com
williamacton.legalshieldassociate.com (Legalshield and IDshield subscription information and applying for associate positions)

Daily (Bruce Springsteen–style) Digital Life Litany for Protection, Direction and Stewardship

Caveat emptier: This post was drafted with help from an AI assistant (Perplexity)— but ideated and edited extensively by the human, Bill Acton

Wikipedia

Lord,
this wired world 

is another highway—
long, crowded,
lit by a thousand neon signs
promising a fast lane to somewhere.

Help me see
the working people behind the screens:
the gig drivers,
the content moderators,
the kids in small towns
for whom this is the only road
out or in.

Protect us from getting
nickel‑and‑dimed by subscriptions,
fees, and dark‑pattern tricks
that siphon away hard‑earned pay
while we’re just trying
to stay connected.

Teach me to use my small platform
like a bar‑band stage:
tell real stories,
watch out for the regulars,
pass the hat when someone’s hurting,
and shut down the fight
before somebody gets hurt.

Guard my accounts and devices
like a beat‑up but beloved car—
lock the doors,
don’t leave valuables in plain sight,
and don’t hand the keys
to someone who just sounds charming.

And as I ride this infinite highway
of timelines and threads,
remind me that the real promised land
is not found in followers or clicks,
but in the way I show up
for the people who share this road—
online and off.

AI‑assisted creative work: This litany is an imaginative parody pastiche using generative AI. It imitates the public persona of [Bruce Springsteen] for commentary and devotional reflection. It is not created by or affiliated with [Bruce Springsteen], and should not be taken as his real views or words.

wracton@gmail.com
williamacton.legalshieldassociate.com (Legalshield and IDshield subscription information and applying for associate positions)

Daily (Dolly Parton–style) Digital Life Litany for Protection, Direction and Stewardship

Caveat emptier: This post was drafted with help from an AI assistant (Perplexity)— but ideated and edited extensively by the human, Bill Acton

Wikipedia

Dear Lord,

you know I love big hair,
big songs,
and big generosity—
but I’d like my troubles
to stay small where they can.

In this glittering online honky‑tonk,
teach me how to sparkle
without getting swindled.

When someone shows up
with sweet words
and complicated links,
help me remember
that wisdom is prettier than any filter.

Guard my passwords
like the key to my songbook—
because once they’re gone,
the whole show is at risk.

Keep my bank, my name,
and my friends’ trust
out of the hands
of smooth‑talking strangers.

Help me use these platforms

the way I try to use my stage:
to lift people up,
to tell them they matter,
to share what I can
without expecting applause
for every little kindness.

When gossip starts to swirl
and people tear each other down
for sport,
give me the grace
to bow out,
or say a gentle word
instead of a clever one.

And let my stewardship
of this big digital world
be like a good country song—
honest about the heartache,
rich with humor and hope,
and always leaning
toward love.

AI‑assisted creative work: This litany is an imaginative parody pastiche using generative AI. It imitates the public persona of [Dolly Parton] for commentary and devotional reflection. It is not created by or affiliated with [Dolly Parton], and should not be taken as his real views or words.

wracton@gmail.com
williamacton.legalshieldassociate.com (Legalshield and IDshield subscription information and applying for associate positions)

Daily (Édith Piaf–style) Digital Life Litany for Protection, Direction and Stewardship

Caveat emptier: This post was drafted with help from an AI assistant (Perplexity)— but ideated and edited extensively by the human, Bill Acton

Wikipedia

Mon Dieu,

you hear the songs I sing in the spotlight

and the prayers I whisper

when the curtain falls.

In this bright, merciless online world,

where every joy and failure

can be replayed and judged,

teach me to give my heart

without giving away my safety.

Protect me from lovers who arrive

through glowing messages—

so quick to adore,

so quick to ask for money,

for secrets,

for pieces of my life

I can never reclaim.

Guard my past

from being twisted into spectacle,

my vulnerabilities

from becoming someone else’s content,

my face and voice

from being stolen and reshaped

by tools that do not care

who I really am.

Help me to love fiercely

without posting everything,

to confess honestly

without feeding the crowd’s appetite

for scandal.

And when I am tempted

to measure my worth

by views, comments,

and the fickle chorus of strangers,

whisper that even if I “regret nothing,”

I can still choose differently today—

stewarding my digital life

with a little more care

for the fragile, real heart

behind the song.

AI‑assisted creative work: This litany is an imaginative parody pastiche using generative AI. It imitates the public persona of [Édith Piaf] for commentary and devotional reflection. It is not created by or affiliated with [Édith Piaf], and should not be taken as his real views or words.

wracton@gmail.com
williamacton.legalshieldassociate.com (Legalshield and IDshield subscription information and applying for associate positions)

Daily (Macbeth–style) Digital Life Litany for Protection, Direction and Stewardship

Caveat emptier: This post was drafted with help from an AI assistant (Perplexity)— but ideated and edited extensively by the human, Bill Acton

Wikipedia

Lord,

this glowing screen before me seems full of promises—

power, knowledge, a crown of influence won by just a few bold clicks.

Guard me from the whispering witches of this wired world:
ads that prophesy greatness,
scams that hail me “Thane of Easy Wealth,”
voices that say, “Give me your number, your secrets, your soul, and all shall be yours.”

Teach me that some invitations are daggers smiling in the air,
and that ambition, once unchained online, can stain my name far longer than any mortal night.

Let my passwords be stronger than my passing desires,
my privacy more guarded than any restless throne.

Keep my hands from the “bloody business” of lies, leaks,

 and character assassination in comment threads and private chats.

And when guilt or fear drives me to frantic scrolling, 

to wash away regret in endless distraction,
whisper that only truth and repentance, not more noise, can cleanse these digital stains.

Grant that I may steward my online life with a caution my younger self lacked—

choosing integrity over illusion,
even when the path to glory seems only one impulsive click away.

AI‑assisted creative work: This litany is an imaginative parody pastiche using generative AI. It imitates the public persona of [Macbeth] for commentary and devotional reflection. It is not created by or affiliated with [Macbeth], and should not be taken as his real views or words.

wracton@gmail.com
williamacton.legalshieldassociate.com (Legalshield and IDshield subscription information and applying for associate positions)

Daily (John Milton–style) Digital Life Litany for Protection, Direction and Stewardship

Caveat emptier: This post was drafted with help from an AI assistant (Perplexity)— but ideated and edited extensively by the human, Bill Acton

Wikipedia

Eternal Light,

who dwell’st above this vast and winding web

   no less than once above the waste and wild,

look graciously upon my wandering eye.

In this new Paradise of screens and streams,

   where every fruit is but a tap away,

teach me to know the serpent from the seed,

   the baited lure from honest nourishment.

Let not my hand, abused to wanton clicks,

unlock those gates where malice waits unseen—

   the theft of name, of treasure, of good fame.

Give me a sword of reason, keen and bright,

to cleave through lies that promise godlike power

for just “one click” or “sign in here.”

Guard, as once flaming cherubim did keep the tree of life,

my passwords and my private store,

   that no intruding will may enter in

      to spoil what thou hast given me to tend.

And if I fall through folly of my own,

let that sharp loss become a schooling grace,

   that rising wiser,

I may steward this wide, digital Eden

   not as a careless Adam,

      but as one who longs

         to walk with thee in truth at eventide.

AI‑assisted creative work: This litany is an imaginative parody pastiche using generative AI. It imitates the public persona of [John Milton] for commentary and devotional reflection. It is not created by or affiliated with [John Milton], and should not be taken as his real views or words.

wracton@gmail.com
williamacton.legalshieldassociate.com (Legalshield and IDshield subscription information and applying for associate positions)

Daily (Ned Ludd[ite]–style) Digital Life Litany for Protection, Direction and Stewardship

Caveat emptier: This post was drafted with help from an AI assistant (Perplexity)— but ideated and edited extensively by the human, Bill Acton - #81

Wikipedia

Lord,

you know I come from the age

when breaking the machine

looked like the only way

to save the worker.

In this world of glowing looms and silent code,

give me wisdom beyond simply swinging a hammer.

Teach me to ask what each device does

to human hands and hearts—

who is made safer,

who is made expendable,

who is quietly watched.

Guard me from blind trust in new machinery,

but also from blind rage against it.

Let my resistance be thoughtful,

not just noisy;

protective, not merely destructive.

Help me stand with those

whose jobs are scraped into algorithms,

whose time and data are harvested

without fair return.

Show me how to say “no”

to exploitative systems

without cutting myself off

from tools that could truly help.

And grant that my stewardship of this digital age

would be more than nostalgia or sabotage—

a stubborn, hopeful labor

to make technology serve people,

not grind them down.

AI‑assisted creative work: This litany is an imaginative parody pastiche using generative AI. It imitates the public persona of [Ned Ludd] for commentary and devotional reflection. It is not created by or affiliated with [Ned Ludd], and should not be taken as his real views or words.

wracton@gmail.com
williamacton.legalshieldassociate.com (Legalshield and IDshield subscription information and applying for associate positions)

Daily (Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn–style) Digital Life Litany for Protection, Direction and Stewardship

Caveat emptier: This post was drafted with help from an AI assistant (Perplexity)— but ideated and edited extensively by the human, Bill Acton

Wikipedia

Lord,

I have seen how lies, repeated and enforced,
   can build invisible prisons
     more enduring than concrete walls.

In this age of networks and notifications,
   guard me from becoming
      either jailer or captive
         in systems of deceit.

Teach me the discipline of “living not by lies”
even online:
   to refuse to share what I know is false,
   to resist the quiet pressure
      to repeat slogans I do not believe,
   to let my silence speak
      when speech would betray the truth.

Protect my digital traces
   from regimes—large or small—
      that would use them
        to coerce conscience,
        to punish dissent,
        to turn neighbor against neighbor
            with weaponized information.

Give me courage to usethese same tools—
   encrypted messages,
   careful sharing,
   small circles of trust—
      to encourage those who suffer,
      to document injustice,
      to keep memory alive
        where it is under assault.

And when fear tempts me
   to retreat into safe falsehoods,
remind me that the line
   between good and evil
       runs through every human heart,
   including mine—

and that my stewardship of this digital life
is one place
   where I may choose
      which side I strengthen.

AI‑assisted creative work: This litany is an imaginative parody pastiche using generative AI. It imitates the public persona of [Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn] for commentary and devotional reflection. It is not created by or affiliated with [Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn], and should not be taken as his real views or words.

wracton@gmail.com
williamacton.legalshieldassociate.com (Legalshield and IDshield subscription information and applying for associate positions)

Daily (Akira Kurosawa–style) Digital Life Litany for Protection, Direction and Stewardship

Caveat emptier: This post was drafted with help from an AI assistant (Perplexity)— but ideated and edited extensively by the human, Bill Acton

Wikipedia

Lord of shadow and light,
you see the stories
   behind every small, glowing screen.

In this world of many angles—
   where one event becomes ten versions,
   and truth is cut like film
      into fragments and edits—
teach me to seek the frame
   that is honest,
   not merely dramatic.

Guard me from becoming
   a careless director of harm:
     sharing rumors that ruin reputations,
     liking scenes of cruelty
because they are “compelling,”
   casting strangers as villains
      without knowing their script.

Give me an ensemble of wise advisors:
   friends who question suspicious links,
   elders who warn of past deceptions,
   voices outside my echo chamber
      who help me see the whole field of battle,
not just my favorite close‑up.

Let my passwords be like samurai armor—
   well‑fitted, maintained,
   tested before the day of conflict.

Let my devices rest like swords in their scabbards
   when the work is done,
so that I do not mistake
   constant vigilance
      for constant tension.

And grant that, 

when the story of my digital life
   is finally reviewed,
its composition shows compassion,
its pacing shows patience,

and its final shot suggests
that justice and mercy
are still possible in this world.

AI‑assisted creative work: This litany is an imaginative parody pastiche using generative AI. It imitates the public persona of [Akira Kurosawa] for commentary and devotional reflection. It is not created by or affiliated with [Akira Kurosawa], and should not be taken as his real views or words.

wracton@gmail.com
williamacton.legalshieldassociate.com (Legalshield and IDshield subscription information and applying for associate positions)

Daily (Gloria Steinem–style) Digital Life Litany for Protection, Direction and Stewardship

Caveat emptier: This post was drafted with help from an AI assistant (Perplexity)— but ideated and edited extensively by the human, Bill Acton

Wikipedia

Spirit of liberation,
you who call us to see
every person as fully human,
walk with me through this digital patriarchy
and all its clever disguises.
Open my eyes to the ways
bias is coded into systems:
who gets heard,
who gets harassed,
who gets erased.
Help me notice whose stories
are boosted by the algorithm,
and whose are buried.
Protect me and those I love
from online violence—
stalking, doxxing, threats,
and the slow grinding down
of constant, casual sexism.
Teach me to believe women,
and all survivors,
when they speak of digital harm.
Let me use my voice,
my shares, my follows,
to stand beside them
instead of watching in silence.
Guard my own heart
from internalized contempt—
from measuring my worth
by youth, beauty, or “engagement,”
instead of wisdom, courage, and care.
And may my stewardship of this wired world
be a long, steady act of organizing:
connecting people across borders,
challenging structures that profit from harm,
and practicing a freedom
that is collective, not solitary.

AI‑assisted creative work: This litany is an imaginative parody pastiche using generative AI. It imitates the public persona of [Gloria Steinem] for commentary and devotional reflection. It is not created by or affiliated with [Gloria Steinem], and should not be taken as his real views or words.
wracton@gmail.com

williamacton.legalshieldassociate.com (Legalshield and IDshield subscription information and applying for associate positions)

Daily (Mae West–style) Digital Life Litany for Protection, Direction and Stewardship

Caveat emptier: This post was drafted with help from an AI assistant (Perplexity)— but ideated and edited extensively by the human, Bill Acton

Wikipedia

Lord,
you know I like a good line,
   a sharp look,
   and an audience—

but I’d rather not pay 

   with my soul 

   or my savings for the privilege.

Help me keep my flirting

  with the online world
    smart, 

    safe, 

      and on my own terms.

When a stranger slides into my messages
   with honeyed words 

   and hungry eyes,
remind me I don’t owe anybody
  a picture, 

  a secret, 

  or a second chance.

  
Let my passwords be more complicated
   than my love life,
and my privacy settings tighter
   than my favorite dress.

Guard me from sugar‑coated scams:
   romance cons, 

   fake charities,
   “exclusive offers” that cost more
      than they ever give.

If something looks too good,
   help me wink,turn on my heel,
and walk the other way.

Teach me to enjoy the spotlight
without handing over control—
   to share what I choose,
   with whom I choose,
   because I choose.

And may my stewardship of this digital stage
leave people laughing, 

thinking,
and a little better protected—

because a woman (or man)
   who knows their worth online
       is a whole lot harder to hustle.

AI‑assisted creative work: This litany is an imaginative parody pastiche using generative AI. It imitates the public persona of [Mae West] for commentary and devotional reflection. It is not created by or affiliated with [Mae West], and should not be taken as his real views or words.”


wracton@gmail.com
williamacton.legalshieldassociate.com (Legalshield and IDshield subscription information and applying for associate positions)

Daily (H. G. Wells–style) Digital Life Litany for Protection, Direction and Stewardship

Caveat emptier: This post was drafted with help from an AI assistant (Perplexity)— but ideated and edited extensively by the human, Bill Acton

Wikipedia

Lord of past and future,

I stand in an age more marvelous

   than any time machine I once imagined,

   and more perilous than any war of the worlds.

Grant me clear vision in this empire of wires and waves,

   where messages travel faster than thought,

   and unseen watchers peer through every careless click.

Teach me that every device

   is a kind of invisible engine,

   capable of progress or oppression:

   let me choose its uses with a scientist’s care

  and a humanist’s conscience.

Guard me from becoming

   either the naïve Eloi,

   lulled by comfort and entertainment,

   or the lurking Morlock,

   feeding on others’ ignorance in the dark.

Let my data not become chains

   for some future tyrant of information,

   nor my habits the raw material

   for a more subtle time of conquest and control.

And as I journey through this brave new digital world,

   help me steward my discoveries—

   to share knowledge without arrogance,

   raise alarms without hysteria,

   and bend each new invention, as far as I can,

   toward mercy rather than mastery.

AI‑assisted creative work: This litany is an imaginative parody pastiche using generative AI. It imitates the public persona of [H. G. Wells] for commentary and devotional reflection. It is not created by or affiliated with [H. G. Wells], and should not be taken as his real views or words.

wracton@gmail.com
williamacton.legalshieldassociate.com (Legalshield and IDshield subscription information and applying for associate positions)

Daily (Martin Luther King Jr.–style) Digital Life Litany for Protection, Direction and Stewardship

Caveat emptier: This post was drafted with help from an AI assistant (Perplexity)— but ideated and edited extensively by the human, Bill Acton

Wikipedia

Lord,
we live in a world
where injustice can go viral in seconds,
and so can truth.

Grant me the courage and clarity
to use this digital pulpit
for nonviolent power—
to expose what is wrong,
to uplift what is right,
and to call people not to hatred,
but to beloved community.

Guard me from the easy temptations
of this age:
outrage without action,
shaming without restoration,
performing righteousness
instead of practicing it.

When I share a story of suffering,
help me honor the dignity
of those whose pain I amplify—
not turning their trauma
into spectacle or content.

Protect my devices and accounts
from those who would twist my words,
impersonate my voice,
or sabotage the work of justice.

Teach me to examine
not only the messages I post,
but the systems I support—
companies, platforms, policies—
asking whether they advance equality,
or deepen oppression.

And grant that my stewardship
of this connected world
may echo that ancient dream:
that our technologies bend,
along with our hearts and laws,
toward the arc of justice—

until “online” and “offline” alike
reflect more of your kingdom
and less of our fear.

AI‑assisted creative work: This litany is an imaginative parody pastiche using generative AI. It imitates the public persona of [Martin Luther King Jr. for commentary and devotional reflection. It is not created by or affiliated with [Martin Luther King Jr.], and should not be taken as his real views or words.”


wracton@gmail.com
williamacton.legalshieldassociate.com (Legalshield and IDshield subscription information and applying for associate positions)

Daily (Ziauddin Sardar–style) Digital Life Litany for Protection, Direction and Stewardship

Caveat emptier: This post was drafted with help from an AI assistant (Perplexity)— but ideated and edited extensively by the human, Bill Acton

Wikipedia

Lord of all times and all futures,
   we live in a world where every click
       quietly writes tomorrow’s history.

Teach me to see my digital life
   not as a private toy,
   but as part of a larger story:
      civilizations shaped by algorithms,
      identities filtered through code,
      communities formed and fractured on screens.

Protect me from becoming
    a passive consumer of futuresdesigned by others.
Help me question:
   Who built this platform?
   Whose values are embedded here?
   Who is made visible,
       and who is erased?

Guard my data from empires of surveillance,
   my imagination from being colonized
      by one narrow story of what it means
          to be modern, successful, human.

Teach me to draw on many traditions—
   faith, culture, wisdom old and new—
      to navigate this “postnormal” moment of uncertainty, 

          complexity, 

          and rapid change.

And grant that I may steward my digital choices
with critical hope:
   challenging injustice,
   amplifying marginalized voices,
and helping shape futures
   that are more just, 

   plural, 

and humane than the past.

AI‑assisted creative work: This litany is an imaginative parody pastiche using generative AI. It imitates the public persona of [Ziauddin Sardar] for commentary and devotional reflection. It is not created by or affiliated with [Ziauddin Sardar], and should not be taken as his real views or words.”


wracton@gmail.com
williamacton.legalshieldassociate.com (Legalshield and IDshield subscription information and applying for associate positions)