Jumping in on the topic real quick, I can't really see myself driving anything other than an automatic as my daily driver. Most automatics nowadays are a lot better at handling gear changes and acceleration than automatics from 10 years ago, which I think helps in the usual arguments against them. I do think it's important everyone knows how to drive a manual, as you never know when it'll come in handy. Learning on a manual also helps you appreciate the whole process a lot more, with you needing to give more time and attention to what you're doing than just pressing the gas. I personally was taught on manual, but have only ever owned automatics. My first car being a 2004 Ford trash can, and my current car being a 2013 Chevy recycling bin. My dad only drives manuals, which is where I did most of my learning, and still drive from time to time. I also worked a job in high school on a farm which required me to drive a manual transmission pickup truck. If I were to ever switch to a manual, I'd either want an old timey pickup truck like I drove at my job, since the stick was cartoonishly long and it felt more like a toy than a car, or a paddle shifter. I've driven three different cars with paddle shifts over the last few years, and all of them have been a blast to drive, taking away a lot of the issues I usually run into with manuals.
