"Speaking for myself, for example, a substantial portion of my retirement funds are going into bonds. I have a preference for a higher rate of return rather than a one-time capital gain."
*****Sorry, but you need to look at *two* conditions here: one is if you are *already* a holder of bonds and rates are going up then you are losing out, since you already invested, your rate was already determined when you purchased bonds, and in fact you are now realizing some loss in asset value. Two: if you are going into the market as a *new* buyer then you want higher rates because that means you'll be able to purchase a given bond at a lower *price* than yesterday.
You've mixed up some conditions here: "a preference for a higher rate of return rather than a one-time capital gain." As a bondHOLDER you never want a higher rate of return, since that IS an erosion of your investment. And as a bondHOLDER you DO want a capital gain - that's what the great secular bull market in bonds from 1981 was all about.
-steve grube