Why I prefer a manual transmission

The numbers speak for themselves. Approximately 95 percent of all cars on the road are equipped with automatic transmissions. Americans drivers don't even want the double clutch transmissions because they don't enjoy the 'manual behavior' of the vehicle. Truth be told, the convenience of an auto simply can't be beat and if your car is no more than a transportation instrument to get you from A to B, one can understand the appreciation of the simplicity of it. But for car enthusiasts like myself, there is simply no engagement. No flavor, no salt. Even the slowest car feels like it can come off the grid when one can manipulate the rpms and watch the tach jump. Autos may now shift faster, but manuals are simply more fun and give more feedback. There was a time when it was considered sacrilege to get a high performance car with an auto but even drivers of these high octane machines have fallen victim to 'the auto.'

Could this be a reflection of the 'app' culture we live in today? Perhaps. Non-car people make a face as if they tasted something foul when informed my car is 'a stick' ,where as cars guys give me that non verbal nod of approval to be keeping it alive. Engagement is important to me. It makes me enjoy everything I do that much more. I hope for the sake of the car enthusiast in me, and all those similar, that the makers of the modern muscle cars don't abandon manual transmissions altogether because I'm not sure where similar vehicular engagement can be had. Maybe motorcycles, as long as they're manual.