Julie Chan Is Dead
by Liann Zhang
Liann Zhang’s "Julie Chan Is Dead" explores the multifaceted and often contradictory nature of modern existence, particularly for young women navigating digital spaces. The novel delves into the pervasive inequalities embedded within social media, highlighting disparities in accessibility, economic status, and racial privilege that undermine notions of authentic connection. It critiques the performative aspects of online identity, where manufactured authenticity and the pressure to monetize one's life can lead to emotional exhaustion and a sense of being a "bargaining chip." The narrative also examines the allure and pitfalls of consumerism, particularly impulse shopping as a temporary escape from deeper dissatisfaction. Despite these critiques, the book acknowledges the genuine good and interconnectedness that can emerge from online communities. Ultimately, "Julie Chan Is Dead" grapples with themes of systemic injustice, personal struggle, and the search for identity and meaning in a world where privilege often dictates outcomes, while also hinting at resilience and the potential for self-care amidst adversity.
27 popular highlights from this book
Key Insights & Memorable Quotes
Below are the most popular and impactful highlights and quotes from Julie Chan Is Dead:
Recognizing problems is pointless when you have little motivation to fix them. And finding motivation is impossible when the mere idea of existing feels like a punishment.
Social media is inherently unequal. I mean, even if we disregard race entirely, there are so many barriers to accessibility. Who can afford a phone? Who has access to stable internet? Who has time to scroll and learn about trends instead of clocking in to a double shift to feed their families? Even what country you’re born in affects it. There’s nothing equal about social media. Sure, once in a blue moon it uplifts creators from underserved backgrounds, but that’s like finding a unicorn amid a stable of horses.
What in the actual ya-ya-sisterhood living fuck is this?
Being a young woman is already like existing in the seventh circle of hell.
I’ll never be applauded for mediocrity because I’m not a stereotypically beautiful white girl.
But social media is all about manufactured authenticity; a performative and controlled identity to appeal to the public.
By the end of the class, I’m clipping in and out of death. I have become sweat. My pores, Niagara Falls. There’s a puddle on the hardwood floor below me. I see the strobing afterlife; it smells like sweat and sounds like pop music. It is hell.
Technology is crucial to my existence. I’m not even sure if I have an identity outside of the internet. She’s stripping away my livelihood!
I mean, even if we disregard race entirely, there are so many barriers to accessibility. Who can afford a phone? Who has access to stable internet? Who has time to scroll and learn about trends instead of clocking into a double shift to feed their families? Even what country you’re born in affects
yearning for the temporary euphoria of impulse shopping. The confirmation pings in my email right as my bank notifies me of low funds. Regret spills into my chest.
yearning for the temporary euphoria of impulse shopping. The confirmation pings in my email right as my bank notifies me of low funds.
It’s easy to forget that genuine good can come from our interconnectedness. It’s there for people who need it. If you’re lucky, it can open up the world.
Obviously, we all worked hard to get to where we are. But acknowledging our privilege is still important. We all put in our hours. We are all on the grind. We've all sacrificed. But some people sacrifice less and get more. And other people work themselves to the bone and get scraps. That's the nature of life and social media is not an exception.
I can’t wait for the system to serve justice because justice doesn’t pertain to people like the Melniburgs.
The next morning, I clean up the broken vase, head to the bank, and send my aunt her monthly installment.
You are perfect, beautiful, so smart, and hot—sublime, really.
Fiona rolls her eyes. “Julie seriously fucked you up.
me some positive affirmations. Normally, I’d find affirmations to be bullshit woo-woo, but I’m at my wits’ end. I open her messages and read the quotes: I am thankful for what I still have. I am patient with myself and my sorrow. I will take care of myself as I heal. I am thankful to be safe and healthy.
(Pushing capitalism, overconsumption, vanity, unrealistic body types, selling out to major corporate brands, refusing to acknowledge their privilege, general tone deafness, etc.)
life has been a farce. A fucking charade. No wonder they never felt like family. I was only ever a bargaining chip. A Chinese child to attract Chinese investors. I feel like such a fool. I want to fucking jump off a building. Push them off, too.
have trouble grasping the magnitude of Bella Marie’s wealth. And to think there are families out there even wealthier than hers.
the powerful always get to rewrite history.
It doesn’t put me down. You can only be jealous of someone above you. Her words dose me with a shot of confidence.
double or triple millions are doing. At least I’m not running crypto-scams or filming dead bodies in suicide forests or dancing for TikTok in front of Auschwitz. I haven’t killed anyone or started any fires or groomed any of my fans. If anything, I save people with my content.
Social media is the biggest thief of time but it’s also an impossibly addictive form of escape.
I’ve recently been confronted with a tsunami of my own. But it’s important to take it in stride, to be grateful and to look forward. Any adversity thrown your way is simply the world’s method of guiding you in the right direction.
Yes, I took a sponsorship on a video of me spreading my sister’s ashes. News flash! Extortion isn’t cheap. Life isn’t cheap. Believe it or not, I need the extra capital.
