This quote is talking about the difference between bad humor and good humor. Bad humor is a way of avoiding reality. It involves joking about unpleasant or difficult things in order to hide from them or distract from them. Good humor, on the other hand, is an acknowledgement of reality. It involves being able to laugh at the difficult things in life and still be able to move on. Good humor is a way to take life in stride and still find joy in it.