"It's often said that life is strange. But compared to what?"

Humanity has long been fascinated with the strangeness of life, often remarking on its unpredictability, the odd coincidences, and the enigmatic ways events unfold. However, when reflecting on the assertion that “life is strange,” Steve Forbert’s follow-up, “But compared to what?”, invites a pause for reconsideration. The question challenges the very basis of judgment; it exposes the relativity of strangeness, asking us to define the terms of our comparison.

Life is viewed through the lens of our experiences, expectations, stories, and cultural backgrounds. We notice events that defy our predictions and label them peculiar, yet this perspective arises from a foundation that assumes something else is “normal” or unsurprising. Forbert suggests that our declaration about life’s strangeness may lack context. If life is all we truly know, as conscious beings bounded by subjective awareness, what standard exists to classify it as odd? There is no accessible alternative to “life” against which to measure its supposed oddity.

This line of thinking exposes the existential humor and humility in our search for meaning. Despite centuries of philosophy and science, the ultimate reference point remains elusive. Our expectations themselves are shaped by life; any definition of “strange” or “normal” is grounded in what life presents us. If we only ever experience this one reality, all assessments of its qualities, including its strangeness, are unanchored from true comparison.

Forbert’s rhetorical question gently urges openness and curiosity in facing existence. Instead of holding fast to judgments or imposing frameworks, perhaps one could embrace the ambiguity and richness of experience. What we name as “strange” might only be unfamiliar, or unexpected. By questioning the certainty of our appraisals, a greater appreciation emerges for the sheer wonder of living, free from the illusions of absolute benchmarks or tidy categories.