1984

           ‘No.’ 

           ‘Thenwheredoesthepastexist,ifatall?’ 

           ‘Inrecords.Itiswrittendown.’ 

           ‘Inrecords.And——?’ 

           ‘Inthemind. Inhumanmemories.’ 

           ‘Inmemory. Verywell,then. We,theParty,controlallrecords,andwecontrolallmemories.Thenwecontrolthepast,dowenot?’ 

           ‘Buthowcanyoustoppeoplerememberingthings?’criedWinstonagainmomentarilyforgettingthedial. ‘Itisinvoluntary. Itisoutsideoneself. Howcanyoucontrolmemory? Youhavenotcontrolledmine!’ 

           O’Brien’smannergrewsternagain. Helaidhishandonthedial. 

           ‘Onthecontrary,’hesaid,‘YOUhavenotcontrolledit. Thatiswhathasbroughtyouhere. Youareherebecauseyouhavefailedinhumility,inself-discipline. Youwouldnotmaketheactofsubmissionwhichisthepriceofsanity. Youpreferredtobealunatic,aminorityofone. Onlythedisciplinedmindcanseereality,Winston. Youbelievethatrealityissomethingobjective,external,existinginitsownright. Youalsobelievethatthenatureofrealityisself-evident. Whenyoudeludeyourselfintothinkingthatyouseesomething,youassumethateveryoneelseseesthesamethingasyou. ButItellyou,Winston,thatrealityisnotexternal. Realityexistsinthehumanmind,andnowhereelse. Notintheindividualmind,whichcanmakemistakes,andinanycasesoonperishes:onlyinthemindoftheParty,whichiscollectiveandimmortal.