AsktheBuilder Hall of Shame

This AsktheBuilder Hall of Shame page was inspired on April 3, 2016 by a blistering email from Vard Nelson who lives in Southern California. You’ll see his email just below. Those who send me deserving emails like Vard’s will also be inducted into this Hall of Shame.

Vard must have been having a really bad day, or a string of them, and my April 3, 2016 newsletter sent him over the edge.

From time to time I do get emails similar to Vard’s, but his was exceptional with respect to the extreme about of SELFISHNESS he was able to cram into the few words he sent.

I’m not a psychologist, but I’ve interacted with enough people in my twenty-two years of publishing to see a wide swath of humanity. What’s very common in emails and comments like Vard’s is the self-centered nature of the message.

Here’s what you need to realize: Vard gets (well, I’m sure he’s unsubscribed by now) my newsletter for FREE. When you get something for FREE, it’s unacceptable to complain about it. CLICK HERE to read all of my past newsletters and you see if you agree with Vard.

Your takeaway from this Hall of Shame should be just one thing: Try to be selfless, not SELFISH. The world needs many more selfless people and far fewer selfish ones.

If you happen to like the style of my newsletter, and as I told Vard I get about 100 positive emails for every selfish one like his, please take the time to leave a comment below telling me what you like about my newsletter.

Vard Nelson - April 3, 2016:

Tim,

I still subscribe to your newsletter, and I am a recent purchaser of two of your DVD products.

I do NOT subscribe to read about the New England weather, I am NOT interested in ham radio, I am NOTinterested particularly in railroading, and I DO NOT PLAY GAMES in order to find out some tidbit of information.  I am a bottom line guy, and do NOT enjoy the format.  I am NOT your buddy - I subscribe forinformation.  And, I am willing to pay for it, if it is applicable to my problems.  (See the first sentence.) 

I met with you once in Montrose, CA, and responded once before when you ran an inferior video comparing an electric chainsaw to a gasser (again, a BAD and misleading piece).  I almost cancelled my subscription over the chainsaw idiocy.

I send your links to family and friends sometimes, but only grudgingly.  I hope they also can overlook the folksy horse shit and find the grain within the barrels of chaff.

I don’t know how many other subscribers and ex-subscribers I speak for.  You need to know, however, that flippant and folksy really don’t get it for some of the people.  You are competing for money with all the free stuff on the internet, particularly YouTube resources.  You need to be a cut above.  If your idea of a cut above is to be more of a coffee-klatch friend, that’s okay - you are about to lose me, but it is your business, and you should run it the way you see fit.  My preference is more meat, less asbestos.

Vard Nelson

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Article source AsktheBuilder Hall of Shame