Why are people in the 1984 society willfully against pleasure full items? In the novel, 1984, George Orwell portrays this problem by taking items that typically provide pleasure and happiness and making them unacceptable in their Totalitarianism society. This is intended to discourage harmful behavior and keep the citizens from possibly losing interest, and loyalty, in Big Brother.
Firstly, it was considered unacceptable to have sex for pleasure, to eat chocolate or to even have an alcoholic beverage of high quality in Oceania. For example, Items like chocolate have higher prices so numerous will not purchase it as it as seen as a harmful item that will ‘distract’ citizens from Big Brother. This is demonstrated in the novel when Winston is discussing the categorical pledge. Winston states “the party made a ‘categorical pledge’ that chocolate rations would not be reduced. This pledge was made in February 1984 but, a few months later, Winston is instructed to rewrite history so as to make this pledge disappear. In its place, Winston writes that the party might have to reduce the ration in April and this paves the way for the news that the ration will, indeed, be reduced: from 30 grammes per
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Sin tax is externality taxes, which are known to be 'harmful to society’. Sin tax forces us to pay a penalty for purchasing alcohol and tobacco and aims to discourage harmful behavior. It is uncertain whether sin taxes are actually effective at discouraging harmful behavior. According to an article from classroom. synonym.com, "economists doubt that sin taxes greatly affect the behavior of most." This quote reveals the use of sine tax for preventative measures. This further concludes the discouragement of harmful behavior and keep the citizens from possibly losing interest, and loyalty, in Big Brother as a pleasure full items are being taxed using sin