Original artwork, not a still
The Phantom Tollbooth • 1961
But that's just as bad, protested Milo. "You mean just as good," corrected the Humbug. "Things which are equally bad are also equally good. Try to look at the bright side of things."
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
Milo objects that an alternative is just as bad, but the Humbug turns equal badness into equal goodness. The correction offers no real improvement in the situation. Its cheerful logic makes the advice to look on the bright side seem deliberately and comically unhelpful.
Context reviewed
