1984

           Thepoorerquartersswarmedwithwomenwhowerereadytosellthemselves. Somecouldevenbepurchasedforabottleofgin,whichtheproleswerenotsupposedtodrink. TacitlythePartywaseveninclinedtoencourageprostitution,asanoutletforinstinctswhichcouldnotbealtogethersuppressed. Meredebaucherydidnotmatterverymuch,solongasitwasfurtiveandjoylessandonlyinvolvedthewomenofasubmergedanddespisedclass. TheunforgivablecrimewaspromiscuitybetweenPartymembers. But—thoughthiswasoneofthecrimesthattheaccusedinthegreatpurgesinvariablyconfessedto—itwasdifficulttoimagineanysuchthingactuallyhappening. 

           TheaimofthePartywasnotmerelytopreventmenandwomenfromformingloyaltieswhichitmightnotbeabletocontrol. Itsreal,undeclaredpurposewastoremoveallpleasurefromthesexualact. Notlovesomuchaseroticismwastheenemy,insidemarriageaswellasoutsideit. AllmarriagesbetweenPartymembershadtobeapprovedbyacommitteeappointedforthepurpose,and—thoughtheprinciplewasneverclearlystated—permissionwasalwaysrefusedifthecoupleconcernedgavetheimpressionofbeingphysicallyattractedtooneanother. TheonlyrecognizedpurposeofmarriagewastobegetchildrenfortheserviceoftheParty. Sexualintercoursewastobelookedonasaslightlydisgustingminoroperation,likehavinganenema. Thisagainwasneverputintoplainwords,butinanindirectwayitwasrubbedintoeveryPartymemberfromchildhoodonwards. TherewereevenorganizationssuchastheJuniorAnti-SexLeague,whichadvocatedcompletecelibacyforbothsexes. Allchildrenweretobebegottenbyartificialinsemination(ARTSEM,itwascalledinNewspeak)andbroughtupinpublicinstitutions.