David A. Meyer

I love podcasts. I think podcasting has revolutionized the media and helped tear down barriers that made broadcasting an industry limited to the rich and famous.

One of my favorite podcasts is produced by This I Believe. What exactly is This I Believe? In their own words:

This I Believe is an international project engaging people in writing and sharing essays describing the core values that guide their daily lives. Over 70,000 of these essays, written by people from all walks of life, are archived here on our website, heard on public radio, chronicled through our books and television programming, and featured in weekly podcasts. The project is based on the popular 1950s radio series of the same name hosted by Edward R. Murrow.

One of their recent podcasts really struck a chord with me. It highlighted the archived essay of author Ben Lucien Burman, entitled “Antidote for War”.

Burman lived an interesting life. He was seriously wounded in World War I, later became a war correspondent, graduated from Harvard and established himself as a successful author. Burman is perhaps most well-known for his children’s books.

What struck me was how timeless Burman’s 50-year old essay seemed:

My code of living is simple. It consists of three parts:
1. never be cruel;
2. always be artistic;
3. never lose your sense of humor.

And good advice is just that. Timeless.