As the previous Educator has noted, Bernard has a negative attitude toward soma. We see this clearly in chapter 4 when Benito offers him some: when Benito takes out his soma bottle, Bernard “suddenly turned and rushed away.” In other words, Bernard is not only disinterested in taking soma but physically turns away from it. He feels a need to distance himself from soma, suggesting a strong dislike of its qualities.
Perhaps the strongest evidence of his negative attitude towards soma comes in chapter 6, when he and Lenin are together and have met some of her friends in an ice-cream soma bar. Bernard is in a particularly bad mood and declares,
"I'd rather be myself," he said. "Myself and nasty. Not somebody else, however jolly."
For Bernard, then, the problem with soma, and his motivation for avoiding it, is that it can affect a person’s identity. He wants to feel the full range of human emotions, both positive and negative, instead of having them dulled by taking soma. He does not care that this attitude makes him appear an outsider in his society. He would rather be miserable and socially awkward than never experience real feelings.
Bernard is a kind of throwback to the pre-dystopic world. His somewhat unattractive physical appearance is considered an anomaly, leading to speculation that something went wrong during the in vitro process in his case. His personality also doesn't conform to the "perfect world" that the society is intended to be. He tends to have a self-effacing guiltiness, as if he's uncomfortable with the hedonistic values that are promoted in his society—although he embraces them at the same time, as everyone else does.
Soma represents (in medicinal form) the values of the society and its goals of artificial happiness for all. Given Bernard's against-the-grain personality, it's natural that the use of soma would be something that he's uncomfortable with and that he regards with suspicion—just as the whole society leaves him with a feeling of guilt and dissatisfaction.
A glib analysis would conclude that Bernard has an "inferiority complex" and therefore feels undeserving of the instant benefit that soma provides. He also shows signs of OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder) in little incidents like his worrying about the tap being left on in his flat. Huxley uses this for comic effect, but it indicates that, ironically, Bernard is someone who might actually need soma more than other people do.
By contrast, a person such as Lenina, who isn't inclined to inward meditation and speculation as Bernard is, has no feelings of guilt about taking soma or doing anything else, so she comes across as a kind of "model citizen" of the dystopia.
Bernard dislikes the use of soma because the drug induces a false sense of self. Soma is a drug produced and provided to the residents by the government. The drug is provided with the aim of suppressing people’s feelings and distorting their realities. It allows the people to escape from situations that may lead to stress.
Although Bernard takes soma once in a while, he refuses to take the drug when Lenina offers it to him. He reasons that he would rather be himself instead of allowing the drug to alter his personality.
rather be himself. [Him]self and nasty. Not somebody else, however jolly.
Bernard is rebellious because he is seemingly aware of what goes on around him—for instance, the Solidarity Service, which, as implied, is expected to bring the people together, leaves him feeling empty and alone.
His rebellion extends to most perceptions promoted by the people and the government including practices such as the taking of soma. While most of those who take soma seem to like taking the drug, Bernard seems to be taking it out of obligation to avoid attracting attention.
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