Conveniently, I do have a BS in Accounting. Perhaps that is why you posted that?
Accounting sucks, by and large. The only reward in my opinion is after opening a business and running it yourself. I could probably roll with that.
Flying sucks too, at least the business/flying combo. However, some "need" to do it. Its more of a disease than a gift, IMHO.
In my opinion, SkyHigh, and I say this with the utmost respect, you are more bitter than most I have seen. The flight director is a tool. It is not King. In an environment where people's lives are at stake, flying in very congested areas under extreme standards (perhaps a fed in the jump seat), its a way to assist the pilot during times of, say, a descending turn at a specific airspeed to join a localizer or a course, for example. Most of us could do it by scan and hand, but it would take more brain power to monitor 4 different things. In a Cessna, at 100 knots, its not a huge deal. However, in a jet, at 300 knots or greater with your job and license continually on the line, its nice to lean on the computers a tad to free up some brain power to look at the bigger picture, rather than just physically drive the bus.
Its like a physicist. Is the modern physicist/scientist any less professional because he isn't having to carry the ones anymore?
I often hand fly the airplane. I just like it. However, it only takes one button to make the FD go away too, then its just stick and rudder.
Speaking of holds. I get what you are saying. However, anyone worth their salt in a professional cockpit can enter a hold without the computer. However, its nice sometimes to have the computer do it so you can free up some attention to contact company, determine a bug out fuel number, figure a diversion plan if necessary, etc. Should the computer fail, we are still expected to make it go right. A call to ATC stating we are unable to hold over the fix due to FMC failure wouldn't work.
Aviation is as safe as it has EVER been. The purpose of the automation isn't to dumb things down to a level where a 300 hour pilot can fly it. The purpose is to increase efficiency and safety. If you think otherwise, I think your thoughts are rooted in some sort of failure on your own part.
Just my $.02.