How does the Party control matter if, as Smith asks, it cannot control things like gravity or disease, or even O'Brien aging?

In response,says
that the Party does not need to control matter. It does not need to control gravity or other
physical laws. Why? Because the Party controls people's minds. According to O'Brien, it is far
more significant to control a person's mind than it is to control the physical world. The reason
for this is simple: if you control a person's mind, then you are able to control the reality
that they perceive. O'Brien uses an example to illustrate this idea:

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.

In this
example, O'Brien is not saying that he could actually float off the floorthat is against the
laws of nature. However, by psychologically manipulating people into believing that he could do
this, it would create the illusion of floating off the floor. He could, therefore, alter their
perception of reality through manipulation.

The Party, therefore, does not
need to control matter, like gravity or aging, because it has something far more powerfulthat
is, the ability to change how people perceive reality. As long as the Party can maintain its
grip on people's minds, it will be able to control their understanding of the
world.