We desire nothing so much as what we ought not to have.

Prohibition adds value to a thing that had none of its own. The moment something is ruled out, attention keeps returning to it, and the returning is easily mistaken for genuine wanting. Much of what feels like strong desire is really the friction of a closed door.

When a want gets loud, ask whether you would want it as much if nobody minded. Sometimes the honest answer is yes, and then the question is a real one about your life. Often the answer is no, and the wanting quietly deflates once you have named what it was actually made of.