What are some negative consequences about Sameness?

Sameness is the phenomenon that makes it possible for one person to absorb the memories of the world in order to make people live as equals in Jonas's society. In order for Sameness to work, though, sacrifices must be made. For example, the Giver explains to Jonas in chapter 11 that the community gave up snow in order to control the climate for longer agricultural periods and effectiveness. As a result, kids never get to experience sliding down a snowy hill on a sled, but they always have something to eat each day. That seems like a minor sacrifice to make, but there are many others that take away freedom of choice as well as the ability to choose things based on preference. 

One example of something people are unable to choose is color preference because everyone is color blind. No one has the ability to recognize colors. Colors are stored in the memories held by the Receiver. Unbeknownst to citizens, the option to make choices based on preference to colors is not even available to them. When Jonas finally understands colors, his reaction is as follows in chapter 13:

"It isn't fair that nothing has color! . . . If everything's the same, then there aren't any choices! I want to wake up in the morning and decided things! A blue tunic, or a red one?" (97).

Another one of the biggest sacrifices that the citizens must make, but they seem to be unaware of, is that they are not able to choose their own path in life. They can't choose to have their own mates or biological families; they can't live with their families throughout life; and, they don't get to experience real love without families. The trade off for these sacrifices is that they live in a very structured culture that runs on following rules rather than emotions. There's no emotional turmoil due to divorce because it doesn't exist. There is also no devastation due to the loss of life because people don't die, per se, they are "released".

Being released is probably the biggest negative consequence related to Sameness because it is just a cover-up for the word "death." This society believes that it is ethical to kill a baby simply to control the population, or as a punishment for not following the rules. If anyone questions the stability or authority of the elders, he or she can be released without question. Jonas's mother says that in their judicial system, people are given three chances to break rules before they are simply released. There are no jails; they just get rid of a problem citizen when they feel it is necessary. This does not uphold a person's right to live and it can devalue any system of government.