system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
Why did Scopenhauer call well-being a negative element?

Here is the exact quote:

 *"Pleasure and well\-being is negative and suffering positive, that happiness of a given life is not to be measured according to the joys and pleasures it contains but according to the absence of the positive element, the absence of suffering".* 

I understand the main point that a life devoid of suffering provides the most happiest but I'm unsure why he referred to suffering as positive and well\-being as negative? Is it simply to emphasise that the absence of suffering carries that much more weight than pleasure and well\-being do?
gpt
Schopeenhauer sees all living in a state of dissatisfaction of strife and therefore suffering. So suffering is the default, therefore positive state. He only thinks there is a neutral state when when we contemplate art. And therefore become 'disinterested spectators' in existence. Well being is a negative state because it never truly defeats disastifaction and strife. That is always there.

As an analogy its like living in a monsoon. You are never truly dry, you make shelters to limit how wet you get. But the rain and moisture is forever present. Wellbeing is therefore a negative state because it never permanent and exists only to negate the positive state.