Although it is true that free will is an elaborate illusion, it does not follow that we are not directing the unfolding of our lives. In fact, our capacity to act as the audience of our own lives is precisely what gives us the capacity to direct it. The illusion of free will is a useful tool to motivate us to take meaningful action and to be mindful of our decisions.

It can be argued that we are both the actors and the directors of our lives. We have the power to choose how to respond and act in any given situation, and ultimately, the choices we make determine the direction of our lives. We may not be able to control external factors, but we can control how we react to them. This contradicts the idea that all we get to do is observe our lives without being able to direct them.

Additionally, the idea of being the audience of our lives is more than just passively observing what is happening. It is an active role in which we are actively engaging with the events and our reactions to them. By doing so, we gain insight into our own behavior and motivations, which in turn allows us to make more informed decisions about how to direct our lives.

In conclusion, free will may be an illusion, but that does not mean that we are not directing our lives. On the contrary, by being the audience of our own lives, we are able to actively engage with the events and our reactions to them, which gives us the capacity to make meaningful decisions and to direct the unfolding of our lives.