The Pendulum of Suffering

Schopenhauer described human life as swinging between pain and boredom. When you want something you cannot have, you suffer from desire. When you finally get it, the satisfaction fades almost instantly, and you suffer from boredom until the next want arises.

This is not depression talking — it is an observation about the structure of desire itself. Think about any purchase you were excited about. The anticipation was electric. Getting it felt good for a moment. Within days, it was just another object you owned.