Inglorious Midwest bastards

Published: Sat, 07/08/17

“I’m out of the Midwest.
It was a good place to come from.
It gives you a sense of right or wrong and fairness, which is lacking in our society.”

– Steve McQueen


Let’s discuss one of my favorite topics:

Anti-professionals.

“Anti-professional” is a term I started using about 5 or 6 years ago to describe a certain kind of businessman who’s like the old school cowboy on his horse going it alone, living by his own code of honor and following his own rules — the dude who doesn’t try to impress the customers (or anyone else, for that matter), but always gets the sale.

Anyway, it could be just a coincidence.

(Or, just blatant bias.)

But, when traveling to my old haunts where I grew up in the "greater metro" (i.e. a few thousand people) East Dundee, Illinois area last time, it dawned on me how many of my favorite anti-professionals have midwest “roots.”

For example:

* Gary Halbert
* Steve McQueen
* John Hughes (the filmmaker)
* Dan Kennedy
* Johnny Carson
* Bruce Barton
* Rush Limbaugh
* Marlon Brando
* Sam Childers (the machine gun preacher)
* Hellz, even Captain Kirk…

Anyway, those are just a few of a very looooong list.

And again, yes, I readily admit this is probably just bias.

But, I will also say this:

There’s a huge difference between the West coast (where I’ve lived the past 11 years) and Midwest mentality. I noticed it even when I was home for just a few days last time. I never liked living in the Midwest (and far prefer living on the ocean), and only visit there when I have to... but, it's as night & day a difference as the weather between the two regions.

And you know what?

Methinks those who’ve lived in both areas know what I speaketh of.

’nuff said.

On to biz-natch:

The “Email Players” newsletter has been attracting some fine blokes over the past couple years. From “A List” direct mail copywriters… to old school Internet marketers who were doing 6 & 7 figures online before many of us even had a computer… to “gurus” who even the rawest of newbies would recognize… and everyone in between.

There’s a reason for that.

To see what the fuss is about, go here:

http://www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle