"Are you basically a pretty good, pretty decent person? Says who? Says you? Says your 'rents? Says your sibs?" is a quote from James Patterson's book, "Middle School, The Worst Years of My Life." It prompts readers to question external judgments about their character and to consider personal and family perspectives on their goodness.

The quote encourages self-reflection and challenges the idea of relying on others’ opinions to define one's character. It highlights the importance of individual self-assessment rather than basing self-worth on external sources, especially during the sometimes confusing and challenging middle school years.