Setting schedules and automatically doing things in reaction to events is home automation. You've set it up to do something automatically when needed so you don't have to interact with it. I wouldn't include a timer you have to set manually every time though.
Your thermostat? Yes, based on the image above. The cooker? I'd say not. The lights? Definite yes.
I agree it's an automation, I don't agree with it being "smart".
What I like about my thermostat timer is that it's simple, local, and requires nothing else. No networking, no app, no maintenance over changing the timer for if I'm away, etc.
I've definitely no "fashionable allergy" to digital forms of automation. I simply don't want the massive complexity that comes with it.
I'm also not advocating against it, I just don't see the point it in.