> Sure, but existence can also be a -1, it’s not a simple binary.

It cannot, that makes zero sense. You can't have -1 peoples on the planet for example. Or -1 planets. You can have 9-1=8 planets however. But not 1-2=-1 planet.

> I’m not denying that joy can be present in a life, but suffering is always present, and quite frankly it’s all unnecessary.

Funny how you are here arguing suffering apparently is an objective truth and an universal constant, is it not? Do you seriously not see the paradox of that statement?