...is just us not wanting to admit, to others or to ourselves, what our actual desires are
That’s definitely a possible mistake. Sort of reminds me of how people say, “everyone acts rationally because they always do what they want to do. It is impossible to be irrational!” This isn’t true, however, if you’re trying to maximize utility within your expected lifetime.
But I think most of us use the word to categories the the feeling that arises from wanting to (not) want something. Because, after all, we aren’t just trying to maximize utility for the moment we are in.
That’s definitely a possible mistake. Sort of reminds me of how people say, “everyone acts rationally because they always do what they want to do. It is impossible to be irrational!” This isn’t true, however, if you’re trying to maximize utility within your expected lifetime.
But I think most of us use the word to categories the the feeling that arises from wanting to (not) want something. Because, after all, we aren’t just trying to maximize utility for the moment we are in.