Fourth Book: The Assertion and Denial of the Will to Live
Arthur Schopenhauer
Schopenhauer's pendulum swings between two states that both mark the absence of genuine fulfillment. Pain arises from unfulfilled desires, while boredom follows when desires are too easily met. The prevailing optimism of the Enlightenment—that reason and progress would usher in a new era of human contentment—stands in stark contrast to this grim view. For Schopenhauer, life is not about finding happiness, but enduring the constant oscillation between discomfort and dissatisfaction.