"Revealed preferences" are like "the free market". They make sense in theory, or when you've got a wide array of competing choices that people can pick between

"Revealed preferences" are like "the free market". They make sense in theory, or when you've got a wide array of competing choices that people can pick between at will. When you have monopoly, duopoly, or oligopoly; when all the options in the market come with (or without) X feature (unless you spend a large amount of extra time, money, and/or effort); when, in short, people's choices are significantly constrained... ...the idea that you can determine "what people really want" based on what they pick is bullshit.