“ If you think flying a raw data, A/T off departure in a busy airspace with low level offs, tight turns, stepped climbs and speed restrictions somehow makes you a superior pilot, you’re wrong. It makes you a moron.”
Actually it does make you a superior pilot, It’s essentially what we did every day in military pilot training, You’d be surprised at how well you could do it too if you take your time, study the departure/ arrival and have done it dozens of times before. Like others have said, the correct level of automation, at the proper phase of flight is the best course.