I love this piece in Thrillist, which attempts to explain Midwestern nice. It does a great job of doing it, too, using the movie "Fargo" to illustrate various points.
I also wholeheartedly agree with the thesis: To be from here is, quite simply, to read a room better than f***ing anyone. And also, yes, to be nice.
My wife always marvels at my ability to read a room. I've never really considered my midwestern roots as a potential source of that, but it makes sense. I grew up around people who didn't say much, and didn't speak ill of others. There are a lot of people in the midwest like this, and a lot of people in the German community too. It's not like we didn't think bad things--we just didn't feel the need to say them out loud. To grow up around this, is to grow up in a world where reading between the lines is an essential life skill.
I'm lucky. It has served me well as a producer and writer.
