Schopenhauer believes that happiness is negative and that without the positive suffering there wouldn't even exist a happiness. He believes that happiness is shortlived, once you overcome the struggles and obstacles in your life all that is left is deadening boredom. The happiness comes only because of a want, something that comes from the will. Schopenhauer tries to make it clear that the nature of happiness is negative because the will, whose wanting creates happiness, is endlessly and aimlessly striving.

Schopenhauer seemed to relate music and art to the endless striving nature of the will. Music creates a happiness and expresses the innermost story of the will, but if a piece was continued after it was already intended to stop it would become wearisome and monotonous.