1984

by George Orwell

Does the past exist concretely, in space? Is there somewhere or other a place, a world of solid objects, where the past is still happening?” “No.” “Then where does the past exist, if at all?” “In records. It is written down.” “In records. And—?” “In the mind. In human memories.” “In memory. Very well, then. We, the Party, control all records, and we control all memories. Then we control the past, do we not?”