Xin chào, it’s Minh.
I force myself to write one piece a week, be it about Vietnam or my outlook on life and society.
But you might wonder, why would someone in their right mind care about what I have to say? And that is a legitimate concern. Who is this stranger that is demanding 10 minutes of your attention every week?
The short answer to that is I’m one other opinion. Young, reckless, egoistic, and informed, I will bring you my unfiltered opinion on a problem of popular interest; once a week. Using a delivery channel not tainted by dirty and obnoxious comments (like the case with Threads or Facebook), I bring you the very original of me.
The long answer can be found in these FAQs:
1. Who are you, Minh?
I’m a young Vietnamese, just like you—the target audience of this newsletter.
I have a degree in Anthropology & Sociology, and I have spent the last few years striving to understand the country where I was born and raised, Việt Nam. I’m obsessed with the country, its people, nature, culture, politics, and history.
Being trained in social science, I’m prone to observe societal, cultural, and political phenomena through a more critical and comprehensive lens, and I hope that I can offer that perspective as a service to you.
2. Why are you writing in English?
I feel more comfortable writing in English. That’s how I was trained in discussing issues like the ones featured in this chain of newsletters. Also, the potential audience of this newsletter includes those who do not read or write Vietnamese.
Occasionally, I might write in Vietnamese because, at the end of the day, it’s still the beautiful language that I call “tiếng mẹ đẻ” (mother tongue) and one that I’m most fluent in.
3. What “kind” of Vietnamese are you?
We, at times, wrongfully demand others to position themselves into clear-cut binary groups, especially when it comes to politics. Per the Vietnamese public, you are either for or against the ruling Vietnamese communist regime—and that is an exceedingly dangerous view.
I was born and raised in communism, and I genuinely appreciate the myriad of good things the regime has bestowed upon me. That being said, I am, by nature and through training, critical of my milieu. That makes it hard for me to position myself precisely within the groups that you see so frequently on Vietnamese social media and in daily life. Also, to put it crudely, I don’t find the need to justify my identity and beliefs to you—I might defend it, but it will be for my sake.
Instead of subjectively locating myself in the boundary of a group that I do not believe in, I can give you pieces of information about myself for you to judge on your own:
I was born in Huế, Việt Nam, in the early 2000s into a family with a “revolutionary” history.
My dad is a vocal and politically critical individual. My mom lives by the philosophy of “keeping your head low and shut up.”
I grew up in Hanoi and spent my high school years in Saigon. I got my bachelor's from a liberal arts college in the US.
(more will be added over time)
If you’ve subscribed, I genuinely appreciate it. Knowing that there is someone who cares about what is going on in my head is very meaningful to me.
If you’re still considering, take your time. I have no rights whatsoever to demand anything from you.
Love you either way,
Minh.
