Living in the truth, not lying to yourself or others is only possible on the condition of living without audiences. As soon as there is a witness to our actions, we adapt willy -nilly to the eyes that observe us, and nothing we do is true. Having an audience, thinking of an audience is living in the lie {Part III, ch. 7}
Kundera posits that true authenticity is unattainable when we are conscious of being observed. When we know someone is watching us, our behavior naturally shifts to meet their expectations, compromising our genuine selves. This need for social approval leads us to drift away from our real thoughts and actions, ultimately resulting in dishonesty, both to ourselves and others.
The essence of living in truth, according to Kundera, hinges on the absence of an audience. To be truly genuine, one must navigate life without the pressure of external witnesses, allowing for actions that reflect one's true self rather than a performance shaped by the expectations of others.