is
freedom. Alone -- free -- the human being is always defeated. It must be
so, because every human being is doomed to die, which is the greatest of
all failures. But if he can make complete, utter submission, if he can
escape from his identity, if he can merge himself in the Party so that he
is the Party, then he is all-powerful and immortal. The second thing for
you to realize is that power is power over human beings. Over the body but,
above all, over the mind. Power over matter -- external reality, as you
would call it -- is not important. Already our control over matter is
absolute.'
For a moment Winston ignored the dial. He made a violent effort to
raise himself into a sitting position, and merely succeeded in wrenching
his body painfully.
'But how can you control matter?' he burst out. 'You don't even
control the climate or the law of gravity. And there are disease, pain,
death--'
O'Brien silenced him by a movement of his hand. 'We control matter
because we control the mind. Reality is inside the skull. You will learn by
degrees, Winston. There is nothing that we could not do. Invisibility,
levitation -- anything. I could float off this floor like a soap bubble if
I wish to. I do not wish to, because the Party does not wish it. You must
get rid of those nineteenth-century ideas about the laws of Nature.