What does Winston's conversation with the old man in the prole district tell you about the prole population in general?

Winston attempts to engage the old Prole to shed some light on the past before the glorious revolution. Winston wants to hear that the party history books are wrong. Winston wants some idea of what a world without the party might have been like. Unfortunately this old man mumbles on about silly things. He babbles about beer and a fight he got into. There is nothing for him to find out from this guy. Prols seem anchored in ignorance.