Automation

Automation be good, yes?

Why don't I have any? This is a question @snekforceone and others have asked.

Here's my answer.

I do have automation: my systems. I check my positions every day.

But also: I don't need automation.

Since I maintain δNeutral positions, the chance of me being liquidated is near nil, so I don't need to check it more than once a day, nor do I need automation to do so. Systems beat automation.

Every. Single. Time. 

Here's my take on automation. 

1. It makes you an automaton. I'm not a trader, so automation is not important, and I also get to sleep at night, and don't need to press 'ignore' 24,952 times each day. Automation is a big waste that you use once and regret forever.
2. Also, when you have automation, it means you have a defect in your system, or that you're using the wrong system. If your system doesn't, eheh, automatically entail work that NEVER should need to be automated, you need to create a better system, NOT sell out to automation.
3. Thirdly, I don't like automation, because it locks you into a way of seeing the world that is instantly no longer accurate, and it blinds you to opportunities that arise when you do see anomalies. You have no freedom of choice nor clear vision in automation. 

Automation has its place. Traders need it. I'm not a trader, so automation's place is 'not in my portfolio.'

That doesn't mean you can't use automation effectively. But it does mean I've never seen anyone who has. I'd love you to prove me wrong, but please don't kill yourself trying to do so.

I'm a yield farmer. I do the things, then I live my life. I like that balance. Automation, instead of freeing you to do more, only ties you down more and more to the computer screen: you become the automaton, a slave to the automation. I choose not to live that way.

I choose no automation.