What is the difference between the power Winston seeks and the power O’Brien describes in Book 3 of 1984?

What does O’Brien mean when he tells Winston in Book 3 of 1984, “They got me a long time ago”?
July 29, 2022
In 1984 why doesn’t the Party just shoot or hang dissidents when it captures them?
July 29, 2022

What is the difference between the power Winston seeks and the power O’Brien describes in Book 3 of 1984?

What is the difference between the power Winston seeks and the power O’Brien describes in Book 3 of 1984?

When O’Brien asks Winston why the Party maintains power, Winston tells him what he thinks O’Brien wants to hear—that the Party maintains power for the good of the people. He tells him, “You believe that human beings are not fit to govern themselves, and therefore—.” Winston is startled when, instead of reducing the pain threshold, O’Brien dials it up. He thought that was what the Party believed and what O’Brien wanted to hear. Instead, O’Brien says that’s stupid and that the Party only wants power for power’s sake. Winston’s idea of power is colored by his desire for independent thinking, love, and understanding. He wants the power to do what is best for humanity, and he believes, at first, that the Party is trying to force its idea of what’s best for people on society. However, the Party’s version of power doesn’t have any real goal except to exist and grow. The power Winston seeks, in contrast, has social and emotional goals that would bring back happiness and humanity to the people.