Context

Imagine you're Alice. You've just arrived in Wonderland, and you're pretty much baffled by, well, everything. You're wondering which way to go, and suddenly the Cheshire Cat appears and drops some knowledge on you: this very quote.

When the cat tells her she could see the hatter or the hare, both of whom are mad, Alice replies, "But I don't want to go among mad people." The cat answers her with this quote, and (as she nibbles on discrete parts of a magical mushroom to change her size) Alice begins to wonder if he's right.

Where you've heard it

Have you ever felt like you're the only sane person in the room?

In the world, even?

That's how Alice feels, too, until that cat starts to make her question her own sanity. What if she is just as crazy as the rest of them? The cat even argues for his own madness, comparing himself to a dog, saying that dogs growl when they're angry and he growls when he's happy.

Alice points out that his argument doesn't really make sense…but then again, why would it if he's mad? Deep, we know.

When you hear this quote, it's usually in celebration of the total insanity that is human existence. Some folks say it in exasperation. Some folks say it in resignation. But in any case, it's an acknowledgment of this crazy thing we call life.

Pretentious Factor

If you were to drop this quote at a dinner party, would you get an in-unison "awww" or would everyone roll their eyes and never invite you back? Here it is, on a scale of 1-10.

Not even a little.