DC-ATE,
I can see by the replies that "most" of you like your auto throttles. But, I'm affraid that you could put any airplane equipped in any manner in front of many pilots and they'd fly it anyway. That's another reason why pay scales keep going down, but that's another topic!
Not sure I follow the bit about pay. More automation lessens piloting skills which surely lessens the appeal of the job. The less interesting the job becomes, the less people will offer to do it for next to nothing (or even pay for the RH seat). Add to that the fact that passengers want to fly for nothing these days..........................