Daily (P. T. Barnum–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,
there's a now a new
greatest show on Earth—
the internet—
where there’s a clicker born every minute
if we’re not careful.

Teach me to see the banner
behind the banner.

When a page sparkles with promises,
when a stranger offers miracles
for a small fee and a lot of trust,
help me ask, “Who’s the ringmaster here,
and who’s the mark?”

Protect me from turning my own life
into a freak show—
putting every secret on display,
selling every private moment
for a little attention and applause.

Guard my purse and my people
from three‑card‑monte schemes in digital form:
rigged games, fake charities,
“limited time offers”
designed to empty wallets
and vanish into the night.

And grant that my stewardship
of this endless circus
leans toward honest wonder,
not cheap tricks—
so that if I draw a crowd,
it is to delight, inform, and protect,
and not to fleece
the very souls
you’ve asked me to love.

AI‑assisted creative work: This litany is an imaginative parody pastiche using generative AI. It imitates the public persona of [P. T. Barnum] for commentary and devotional reflection. It is not created by or affiliated with [P. T. Barnum], 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)