The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down - Section 2

Section 2 takes a step back from Lia’s story and talks about the history of the Hmong people. At first I thought it was kind of random, but it actually makes a lot of sense. The book shows how much their culture values independence and how they’ve spent centuries fighting to keep their traditions alive, even when other groups tried to push them out. Reading that helped me understand why they were so protective of their way of life in the U.S. They weren’t just being “difficult” with the doctors. They were holding on to something that had already been threatened so many times before. 

What stuck with me was how history shows up in the present. The Hmong didn’t trust outsiders because they’d been burned so many times before. I think about that in my own life too. If someone has ignored me or dismissed me in the past, it’s hard for me to just flip a switch and trust them later. So it makes sense that the Hmong were hesitant with American doctors telling them what to do, especially when the doctors didn’t seem to care about their perspective. 

I also noticed how the Hmong values clashed with American ones. They put family and tradition first, while the doctors cared more about rules, science, and systems. Honestly, I see that kind of clash everywhere. Even in school, teachers sometimes focus only on rules or deadlines, while students might be thinking about balancing family, mental health, or other stuff that feels more important in the moment. It doesn’t mean one side is right and the other is wrong, but it shows how easy it is for people to talk past each other. 

This section made me realize that misunderstandings don’t just “happen.” They come from deeper things like culture, history, and personal experience. If you don’t take time to understand where someone is coming from, you’re probably going to misread their actions. I guess the takeaway for me is to be more patient and curious when I don’t get why someone thinks or acts a certain way. There’s usually more to the story than what you see on the surface. 

- AnthroManTalks