The book The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures by Anne Fadiman is based on a true story that delves into the life of Lia Lee, a young epileptic Hmong child (Fadiman, 2012). It focuses on Lia’s condition and her family’s experiences through the problem with the sole purpose of highlighting the collision between two cultures including the American and Hmong culture, and the effect that the cultures have on her health. Fadiman gives a detailed report on the complicated interactions between all the people around Lia and uncovers the deep struggles experienced in the pursuit of her well-being.
Lia’s struggle as highlighted in the book primarily arises from a cultural collision between her culture and the American culture. Lia’s family believes that spirits cause the epileptic seizures that their daughter experiences and that the cure for her condition can be found in animal sacrifices (Fadiman, 2012). On the contrary, the doctors insist on administering a regimen of drugs, which would stop the seizures. Unfortunately, the family does not support this idea, and it hesitates to give the medications to Lia. However, when the condition of the young girl worsens, and she suffers severe brain damage, the doctors believe that the noncompliance of Lia’s family with the medical regime is responsible. Contrary, the family claims that the doctors administered a lot of medication to Lia, which they believe to be responsible for worsening her condition.
I believe that both the family and the doctors are involved in Lia’s irreparable mental and physical conditions. In the course of the treatment, both parties fail to explore the assumptions and beliefs that they bring to the patient considering that she cannot speak and decide for herself. For instance, the American doctors often consider the Hmong ignorant and backdated, and they believe that Hmong are reliant on animal sacrifices, which the American doctors deem unacceptable. Besides, Hmong highly relies on cultural healing practices and they are not even willing to seek medical aid.
In addition, even though both parties are blamed for the worsening of Lia’s seizures, I think that the doctors have a bigger blame since they are in a better position of advising Lia’s family considering that they are educated and have adequate knowledge on her condition and how it can be treated. It is possible that Lia’s family acted reluctantly because they lack appropriate knowledge considering that they are native immigrants from Thailand. On the contrary, the family is partly responsible because of its overdependence on cultural and traditional healing methods and beliefs, yet it has access to modern means of dealing with the problem. Therefore, at least both the parties play a role in the devastating and severe seizures experienced by Lia.
Fadiman illustrates how the bold and independent Hmong people have struggled for hundreds of years to maintain their identity and way of life. Several chapters in this book are devoted to Hmong’s history, cosmology and the multiple challenges they have faced while trying to settle in the United States. According to Fox (2005), Western medicine is a more reliable and effective way of curing diseases as compared to the traditional, and old-fashioned cultural methods, such as sacrificing pigs and chicken as depicted by the Hmong Lee family. I think that a better and more profound understanding of diverse cultures and their beliefs will play a key role in enabling Western doctors to overcome cultural resistance towards science. Consequently, they will have a more cooperative attitude towards the patients, which will likely change the ancient beliefs as held by some patients. Besides, the societies should not fully trust the cultural healing modalities. Instead, they should learn to adopt modern healing practices by accepting western medication.
The series of videos titled Have a Little Faith with Zach Anner are an accurate illustration of how people from different backgrounds can learn to achieve what most people consider unachievable. For instance, in Zach’s first video Season 1 Reunion, we see people from different religions comprising two Mormons, two Bahai’s, a Jewish, a Quaker, a Baptist, and a Muslim in a room all together having a friendly dialogue (SoulPancake, 2014). If practiced regularly and everywhere, such kind of conversations would change the world for a better since people will be at peace with each other. Moreover, Zach who is the host of these videos is challenged, which indicates that he has made strides and achieved a lot because his videos uplift and encourage millions of viewers. Furthermore, in another series of videos titled Faith Communities and Disability, the producer illustrates how people from different ethical backgrounds and religions should collaborate without considering their differences (PBS, 2009). Though the practices of different cultures or religions may not auger well with others, people should try to accommodate the practices and beliefs of others and learn to respect them.
Overall, Fadiman shows that acknowledging other belief and cultural systems could play a crucial role in improving the well-being of patients from different cultural backgrounds. In the book, the author refers to various fruitful cross-cultural techniques, such as the collaboration between doctors and witchdoctors to provide services to patients. This book has a lot of influence in the medical field making it a requirement in the medical training programs. It has found its way into the reading lists of multiple medical schools. Indeed, it is a revelation of cross-cultural issues to those in the medical and religious spheres.