James Patterson, in his book Violets Are Blue, reflects on the nature of human existence, quoting Schopenhauer’s perspective that life may be fundamentally flawed or mistaken. The quote suggests a pessimistic view, asserting that human life is inherently an error and that the situation is deteriorating over time, with no apparent hope for improvement.

Despite this bleak outlook, Patterson mentions that his personal philosophy is somewhat more optimistic than Schopenhauer's, implying that while he recognizes the problems of human existence, he may hold a slightly warmer or more hopeful perspective about life and its potential for betterment.