The same thing happened to me a few years ago. I wanted so badly to stick it to them on principle, but I didn't want to waste anymore of my time. I put my tongue to their boot and paid them for the privilege of getting scammed. Real 1984 shit.
What do a private company's payflow dark patterns have to do with mass surveillance by a totalitarian state? Everything slightly dystopian isn't "real 1984 shit."
To help you out since you won't help yourself: the end of 1984 shows how psychological torture brings hard, rational people to doublethink. "I will not pay for my tax return. I will pay for my tax return."
I asked you a question in earnest, which part of that was not "responsible?" You tried to answer, but we both know it wasn't good. You're stretching "doublethink" to include falling for their dark pattern? In the context of 1984 doublethink regards indoctrination. Further proof you've never read it.
???
Hypothetical scenario - Real 1984 shit would be to get a tax bill prefilled from the government to get you to sign on a dotted line. If you want to contest it, you'll need to hire lawyers but most refuse to work with you. Average citizen is left to defend themselves which is an impossibility. Sign on the dotted line or get arrested.
Folks, we need to go towards an open source route. Not put more power in the hands of a massively incompetent government.