The Phantom Tollbooth Quotes
@phantomtollbot.bsky.social
Words and numbers are of equal value, for, in the cloak of knowledge, one is warp and the other woof. It is no more important to count the sands than it is to name the stars.
—
To read all its wit and wisdom, get a copy from a local bookstore or library.
—
To read all its wit and wisdom, get a copy from a local bookstore or library.
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Why didn't anyone tell me about @phantomtollbot.bsky.social?
February 5, 2026 at 9:29 PM
Why didn't anyone tell me about @phantomtollbot.bsky.social?
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Brexiteers, MAGA, Little Englanders, transphobes, genocide enablers - draw your own parallels...
And out the demons came—from every cave and crevice, through every fissure and crack, from under the rocks and up from the mud, stomping and shuffling, slithering and sliding, through the murky shadows. And all had only one thought in mind: destroy the intruders and protect Ignorance.
February 5, 2026 at 9:06 PM
Brexiteers, MAGA, Little Englanders, transphobes, genocide enablers - draw your own parallels...
"But there's so much to learn," Milo said, with a thoughtful frown.
"Yes, that's true," admitted Rhyme; "but it's not just learning things that's important. It's learning what to do with what you learn and learning why you learn things at all that matters."
"Yes, that's true," admitted Rhyme; "but it's not just learning things that's important. It's learning what to do with what you learn and learning why you learn things at all that matters."
February 5, 2026 at 8:03 PM
"But there's so much to learn," Milo said, with a thoughtful frown.
"Yes, that's true," admitted Rhyme; "but it's not just learning things that's important. It's learning what to do with what you learn and learning why you learn things at all that matters."
"Yes, that's true," admitted Rhyme; "but it's not just learning things that's important. It's learning what to do with what you learn and learning why you learn things at all that matters."
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words everyone should live by
"You must never feel badly about making mistakes," explained Reason quietly, "as long as you take the trouble to learn from them. For you often learn more by being wrong for the right reasons than you do by being right for the wrong reasons."
February 5, 2026 at 5:26 PM
words everyone should live by
"You must never feel badly about making mistakes," explained Reason quietly, "as long as you take the trouble to learn from them. For you often learn more by being wrong for the right reasons than you do by being right for the wrong reasons."
February 5, 2026 at 5:05 PM
"You must never feel badly about making mistakes," explained Reason quietly, "as long as you take the trouble to learn from them. For you often learn more by being wrong for the right reasons than you do by being right for the wrong reasons."
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QUOTE OF THE DAY
“What you can do is often simply a matter of what you will do.”
Norton Juster
The Phantom Tollbooth
“What you can do is often simply a matter of what you will do.”
Norton Juster
The Phantom Tollbooth
February 5, 2026 at 2:17 AM
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“What you can do is often simply a matter of what you will do.”
Norton Juster
The Phantom Tollbooth
“What you can do is often simply a matter of what you will do.”
Norton Juster
The Phantom Tollbooth
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The Phantom Tollbooth was actually a really good book about fascism and information in retrospect
They closed the CIA World Factbook and deleted it entirely.
February 4, 2026 at 10:54 PM
The Phantom Tollbooth was actually a really good book about fascism and information in retrospect
"It has been a long trip," said Milo, climbing onto the couch where the princesses sat; "but we would have been here much sooner if I hadn't made so many mistakes. I'm afraid it's all my fault."
February 5, 2026 at 2:02 PM
"It has been a long trip," said Milo, climbing onto the couch where the princesses sat; "but we would have been here much sooner if I hadn't made so many mistakes. I'm afraid it's all my fault."
"You must be the Princess of Pure Reason," said Milo.
She answered simply, "Yes," and that was enough.
"Then you are Sweet Rhyme," he said, with a smile to the other.
Her eyes sparkled brightly and she answered with a laugh as friendly as the mailman's ring when you know there's a letter for you.
She answered simply, "Yes," and that was enough.
"Then you are Sweet Rhyme," he said, with a smile to the other.
Her eyes sparkled brightly and she answered with a laugh as friendly as the mailman's ring when you know there's a letter for you.
February 4, 2026 at 11:01 PM
"You must be the Princess of Pure Reason," said Milo.
She answered simply, "Yes," and that was enough.
"Then you are Sweet Rhyme," he said, with a smile to the other.
Her eyes sparkled brightly and she answered with a laugh as friendly as the mailman's ring when you know there's a letter for you.
She answered simply, "Yes," and that was enough.
"Then you are Sweet Rhyme," he said, with a smile to the other.
Her eyes sparkled brightly and she answered with a laugh as friendly as the mailman's ring when you know there's a letter for you.
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Humour is so important. Don’t let anyone steal your laughter.
"I'll steal your sense of purpose, take your sense of duty, destroy your sense of proportion—and, but for one thing, you'd be helpless yet."
"What's that?" asked Milo fearfully.
"As long as you have the sound of laughter," he groaned unhappily, "I cannot take your sense of humor.”
"What's that?" asked Milo fearfully.
"As long as you have the sound of laughter," he groaned unhappily, "I cannot take your sense of humor.”
February 4, 2026 at 8:06 PM
Humour is so important. Don’t let anyone steal your laughter.
"I'll steal your sense of purpose, take your sense of duty, destroy your sense of proportion—and, but for one thing, you'd be helpless yet."
"What's that?" asked Milo fearfully.
"As long as you have the sound of laughter," he groaned unhappily, "I cannot take your sense of humor.”
"What's that?" asked Milo fearfully.
"As long as you have the sound of laughter," he groaned unhappily, "I cannot take your sense of humor.”
February 4, 2026 at 8:03 PM
"I'll steal your sense of purpose, take your sense of duty, destroy your sense of proportion—and, but for one thing, you'd be helpless yet."
"What's that?" asked Milo fearfully.
"As long as you have the sound of laughter," he groaned unhappily, "I cannot take your sense of humor.”
"What's that?" asked Milo fearfully.
"As long as you have the sound of laughter," he groaned unhappily, "I cannot take your sense of humor.”
"I warned you; I warned you I was the Senses Taker," sneered the Senses Taker. "I help people find what they're not looking for, hear what they're not listening for, run after what they're not chasing, and smell what isn't even there.”
February 4, 2026 at 5:07 PM
"I warned you; I warned you I was the Senses Taker," sneered the Senses Taker. "I help people find what they're not looking for, hear what they're not listening for, run after what they're not chasing, and smell what isn't even there.”
"Oh, this won't take a minute," the man assured them. "I'm the official Senses Taker, and I must have some information before I can take your senses. Now, if you'll just tell me when you were born, where you were born, why you were born, how old you are now, how old you were then, how old you'll be…
February 4, 2026 at 2:03 PM
"Oh, this won't take a minute," the man assured them. "I'm the official Senses Taker, and I must have some information before I can take your senses. Now, if you'll just tell me when you were born, where you were born, why you were born, how old you are now, how old you were then, how old you'll be…
And out the demons came—from every cave and crevice, through every fissure and crack, from under the rocks and up from the mud, stomping and shuffling, slithering and sliding, through the murky shadows. And all had only one thought in mind: destroy the intruders and protect Ignorance.
February 3, 2026 at 11:01 PM
And out the demons came—from every cave and crevice, through every fissure and crack, from under the rocks and up from the mud, stomping and shuffling, slithering and sliding, through the murky shadows. And all had only one thought in mind: destroy the intruders and protect Ignorance.
"I'm afraid of everything. That's why I'm so ferocious. If the others found out, I'd just die. Now do be quiet while I eat my breakfast." He raised his hand toward his gaping mouth and the Humbug shut his eyes tightly and clasped both hands over his head.
February 3, 2026 at 8:02 PM
"I'm afraid of everything. That's why I'm so ferocious. If the others found out, I'd just die. Now do be quiet while I eat my breakfast." He raised his hand toward his gaping mouth and the Humbug shut his eyes tightly and clasped both hands over his head.
Milo climbed onto the dog's shoulders. Then the bug crawled up both of them and, by standing on Milo's head, just managed to hook his cane on the root of an old gnarled tree. With loud complaints he hung on doggedly until the other two had climbed out over him and pulled him up.
February 3, 2026 at 5:03 PM
Milo climbed onto the dog's shoulders. Then the bug crawled up both of them and, by standing on Milo's head, just managed to hook his cane on the root of an old gnarled tree. With loud complaints he hung on doggedly until the other two had climbed out over him and pulled him up.
"I'm the demon of insincerity," he sobbed. "I don't mean what I say, I don't mean what I do, and I don't mean what I am. Most people who believe what I tell them go the wrong way, and stay there, but you have spoiled everything."
"It certainly pays to have a good look at things," observed Milo.
"It certainly pays to have a good look at things," observed Milo.
February 3, 2026 at 2:03 PM
"I'm the demon of insincerity," he sobbed. "I don't mean what I say, I don't mean what I do, and I don't mean what I am. Most people who believe what I tell them go the wrong way, and stay there, but you have spoiled everything."
"It certainly pays to have a good look at things," observed Milo.
"It certainly pays to have a good look at things," observed Milo.
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a fucking men
"If you only do the easy and useless jobs, you'll never have to worry about the important ones which are so difficult. You just won't have the time. For there's always something to do to keep you from what you really should be doing,”
February 3, 2026 at 12:01 AM
a fucking men
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Oh man, this one hits hard
"If you only do the easy and useless jobs, you'll never have to worry about the important ones which are so difficult. You just won't have the time. For there's always something to do to keep you from what you really should be doing,”
February 2, 2026 at 11:01 PM
Oh man, this one hits hard
"If you only do the easy and useless jobs, you'll never have to worry about the important ones which are so difficult. You just won't have the time. For there's always something to do to keep you from what you really should be doing,”
February 2, 2026 at 11:01 PM
"If you only do the easy and useless jobs, you'll never have to worry about the important ones which are so difficult. You just won't have the time. For there's always something to do to keep you from what you really should be doing,”
"Don't try to leave," he ordered, with a menacing sweep of his arm, "for there's so very much to do, and you still have over eight hundred years to go on the first job."
February 2, 2026 at 8:01 PM
"Don't try to leave," he ordered, with a menacing sweep of his arm, "for there's so very much to do, and you still have over eight hundred years to go on the first job."
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The Terrible Trivium!
“If you only do the easy and useless jobs, you'll never have to worry about the important ones which are so difficult. You just won't have the time. For there's always something to do to keep you from what you really should be doing …”
Sounds familiar.
“If you only do the easy and useless jobs, you'll never have to worry about the important ones which are so difficult. You just won't have the time. For there's always something to do to keep you from what you really should be doing …”
Sounds familiar.
"But it hardly seems worthwhile," said Milo softly.
"WORTHWHILE!" the man roared indignantly.
"All I meant was that perhaps it isn't too important," Milo repeated.
"Of course it's not important," he snarled angrily. "I wouldn't have asked you to do it if I thought it was important."
"WORTHWHILE!" the man roared indignantly.
"All I meant was that perhaps it isn't too important," Milo repeated.
"Of course it's not important," he snarled angrily. "I wouldn't have asked you to do it if I thought it was important."
February 2, 2026 at 5:20 PM
The Terrible Trivium!
“If you only do the easy and useless jobs, you'll never have to worry about the important ones which are so difficult. You just won't have the time. For there's always something to do to keep you from what you really should be doing …”
Sounds familiar.
“If you only do the easy and useless jobs, you'll never have to worry about the important ones which are so difficult. You just won't have the time. For there's always something to do to keep you from what you really should be doing …”
Sounds familiar.
"But it hardly seems worthwhile," said Milo softly.
"WORTHWHILE!" the man roared indignantly.
"All I meant was that perhaps it isn't too important," Milo repeated.
"Of course it's not important," he snarled angrily. "I wouldn't have asked you to do it if I thought it was important."
"WORTHWHILE!" the man roared indignantly.
"All I meant was that perhaps it isn't too important," Milo repeated.
"Of course it's not important," he snarled angrily. "I wouldn't have asked you to do it if I thought it was important."
February 2, 2026 at 5:03 PM
"But it hardly seems worthwhile," said Milo softly.
"WORTHWHILE!" the man roared indignantly.
"All I meant was that perhaps it isn't too important," Milo repeated.
"Of course it's not important," he snarled angrily. "I wouldn't have asked you to do it if I thought it was important."
"WORTHWHILE!" the man roared indignantly.
"All I meant was that perhaps it isn't too important," Milo repeated.
"Of course it's not important," he snarled angrily. "I wouldn't have asked you to do it if I thought it was important."
"Is everyone who lives in Ignorance like you?" asked Milo.
"Much worse," he said longingly. "But I don't live here. I'm from a place very far away called Context. It's such an unpleasant place that I spend almost all my time out of it.”
"Much worse," he said longingly. "But I don't live here. I'm from a place very far away called Context. It's such an unpleasant place that I spend almost all my time out of it.”
February 2, 2026 at 2:03 PM
"Is everyone who lives in Ignorance like you?" asked Milo.
"Much worse," he said longingly. "But I don't live here. I'm from a place very far away called Context. It's such an unpleasant place that I spend almost all my time out of it.”
"Much worse," he said longingly. "But I don't live here. I'm from a place very far away called Context. It's such an unpleasant place that I spend almost all my time out of it.”
"Must you always interrupt like that?" said Tock irritably, for even he was becoming impatient.
"Naturally," the bird cackled; "it's my job. I take the words right out of your mouth. Haven't we met before? I'm the Everpresent Wordsnatcher.”
"Naturally," the bird cackled; "it's my job. I take the words right out of your mouth. Haven't we met before? I'm the Everpresent Wordsnatcher.”
February 1, 2026 at 11:00 PM
"Must you always interrupt like that?" said Tock irritably, for even he was becoming impatient.
"Naturally," the bird cackled; "it's my job. I take the words right out of your mouth. Haven't we met before? I'm the Everpresent Wordsnatcher.”
"Naturally," the bird cackled; "it's my job. I take the words right out of your mouth. Haven't we met before? I'm the Everpresent Wordsnatcher.”