About the Author

Francis Meyrick
Porter Stansberry Research

There is an old,old saying "if you want and crave peace, prepare for war". That has been a recurrent experience of my life. I don't like fighting. But I'm not a Neville Chamberlain. An endless appeaser.

I'm not an unconditional, dreamy pacifist. I like to write and read, I write some poetry, and I offer you a friendly discussion. But... I've also been in a few good bar fights. So pick your poison.

I'm a well meaning,vague idealist, with naive dreams of a kinder, much more trusting cyberspace. This has led me to roam around the cyber jungle, dodging angry bullets and scathing arrows,trying to find a creative haven, where I could enjoy the company of like-minded souls.

I feel we should write and create in a tranquil place, with humor and compassion. Oh, let there be debate, let there be differing views. But let us avoid bitterness, and cynicism, and the caustic, rubbishing reviews I have seen on other writing sites... and let us be gentle with our neighbor. I wrote the story "Piano lessons" to illustrate what happens when somebody's love for a pastime is coldly and systematically destroyed.

In being gentle with others,are we not being gentle with ourselves? And who are we, to assume the mantle of superior judges? Who are we to condemn or vilify the artistic offerings of folk from a totally different background, outlook, ethnic, racial, or religious origin?

If I can wish you one thing in this crazy, crazy, violent and often bewildering life, I wish you... Peace, my friend, Peace...

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A kinder, more gentle Cyberspace?

"We've got tonight" Bob Seger

A kinder, more gentle Cyberspace?

Cyberspace.
What an amazing invention. I wonder what William Shakespeare, Thomas Jefferson, or Mark Twain would have made of it. What would they have thought of its potential for good? And... what would they have said of its dark side?
It's such a shame. A quantum leap forward in the sphere of human endeavor. Marred, as seemingly always, by the Emotional Primitives. Those clever, sneaky, seemingly sophisticated participators of Modern Life. Who in fact retain a caveman morality.
A simple, brutal set of values: "Do unto others whatever feels good for me".

Cyberspace.
The ability to project one's thoughts and dreams, one's ideals and one's hopes, quickly into a realm of thought and contemplation, available for millions to see and interact with.
A vessel for good. A ship of good hope. A beacon. The distant light of a warm, welcome camp fire on a cold, damp, chilly winter's night.

Cyberspace.
Where we can dream of lush green fields, eternal sunshine, a gentle breeze, and you and I, laughing, chatting, and solving the problems of the Universe. Where we can talk poetry, philosophy, religion, metaphysics, football, or Kawasaki motorbikes...

Photo by wayfaring stranger

Cyberspace...
Where I wish to call myself Francis. That's my real name. Meyrick. That's my pen name.
Why do I hide? Why can't I just be me? Oh. Because. Because what? Because... well.
Cyberspace. You know. Shudder. Lots of bad. Con artists. Crooks. Child molesters. Crazies. Identity thieves. You've got to be careful...

Cyberspace...
Where there is, quite simply, a war going on.
Between those of an altruistic nature who see its potential for good, and those of a more self centered pedigree, who see only... themselves.
There are those who believe in something higher than just their own feeble destiny.
And there are those who worship only at the altar of their own profit.

In Writers Harbor...
We are mindful of the famous last line of Jean Paul Sartre's "Huis Clos".
"Eh bien, continuons..."
Indeed. Let us continue. The war.

Hopefully, for a kinder, more gentle, cheerier cyberspace!

Francis Meyrick
(c)

Last edited by Francis Meyrick on June 2, 2009, 7:54 pm

I like Happiness. There's not enough of the stuff to go around. I'm trying to make some. Will you help me?

Zuzanna
	Francis Excellent article with a fabulous points of view about Cyberspace. I like the invention and the progress in technology... My believes are that William Shakespeare, Thomas Jefferson, Mark Twain would be trilled having this access to fast pace communication and the blessings of using this Cyberspace to their advantage.Imagine, all they wrote was with the pen or a feather ink pen, the Ancient type of invention. It took a lot of time to process all that writing and yet we have this access to their work. I am glad the people before us did something unique and special. Us the followers can carry on with their ideas, often their work stands out as an example for others to see. The written word lives in a soul of a Poet. True art will not easily die. FIVE STARS FOR YOUR THOUGHTS Thank you...Zuzanna
Posted on Sunday, January 27, 2008 at 13:45:19

Zuzanna

Francis
Excellent article with a fabulous points of view about Cyberspace.

Applaud

I like the invention and the progress in technology... Speaking
My believes are that William Shakespeare, Thomas Jefferson, Mark Twain would be trilled having this access to fast pace communication and the blessings of using this Cyberspace to their advantage.Imagine, all they wrote was with the pen or a feather ink pen, the Ancient type of invention. Smile
It took a lot of time to process all that writing and yet we have this access to their work. I am glad the people before us did something unique and special. Us the followers can carry on with their ideas, often their work stands out as an example for others to see.

The written word lives in a soul of a Poet. True art will not easily die.

FIVE STARS FOR YOUR THOUGHTS Smile Smile Smile Smile Smile

Thank you...Zuzanna

Posted on Sunday, January 27, 2008 at 13:45:19

Francis Meyrick
	I have this feeling that "art" MUST feature much more intensely in people's lives... I think it's so very important that people paint, sing, write, sculpt, do pottery, work with their hands and minds... and I fear that a society without Art is a soulless one. Through Art we are afforded the opportunity to get in touch with a gentler, much more creative side of our nature. Cyberspace... is a double edged sword. I fear. I like Happiness. There's not enough of the stuff to go around. I'm trying to make some. Will you help me?
Posted on Friday, March 28, 2008 at 20:33:02

Francis Meyrick

I have this feeling that "art" MUST feature much more intensely in people's lives... I think it's so very important that people paint, sing, write, sculpt, do pottery, work with their hands and minds...
and I fear that a society without Art is a soulless one.
Through Art we are afforded the opportunity to get in touch with a gentler, much more creative side of our nature.

Cyberspace... is a double edged sword. I fear.