Part 6/17:
However, when value systems are flattened or overly egalitarian, and positive meaning is stripped away, suffering can dominate because there’s no longer a source of reward or purpose. The balance between positive and negative emotions is delicate, and humans are inherently biased toward protecting themselves from loss—damage, suffering, or failure—more than they pursue gains. That asymmetry emphasizes the importance of understanding this bias when motivating oneself or others.