Boy did I get blasted for my post as one of the few AT supporters, however, the arguments for AT are no less harsh than the arguments for MT.
Going back to the original post, it looks like the proponents for AT don't seem to care one way or the other, while those in the MT camp seem to be more venomous and staunch in their decision. There is a stronger need to defend their position indeed. Maybe this reaction, LouDawg, has more to do with economics than anything else - a deep seated envy for those who cruise along effortlessly and disdain at their own lives for not being able to afford that silky smooth AT. It's either that or a willful resistance to change and progress. You have to make the best of it though, and what better way than to exclaim that you drive that 4-cylinder MT Honda Accord by choice....and somehow it's more satisfying.
There are times when driving a MT is just pure bliss; with the right car at the right moment. But for the average driver, not many models of cars are exhilarating to drive and the moments are few and far between. For most, the only respite from the daily chaos is inside the car and a good AT affords even more precious chances to relax and enjoy the drive. Tell me that person in big city traffic, with his MT Ford Focus, is having one of these glorious MT experiences with the hot sun glaring in his eyes while he's trying to glance at a map, find the off-ramp, and mess with the pedals and shifter on his way to a job interview in unfamiliar territory.
An AT car is just much more comfortable and, at the risk of opening a new can of worms, safer. Inattentive drivers are dangerous no matter what kind of car they drive. But you have to be extra aware when driving a MT; you use sight and sound to look at the tach and hear the engine along with a hand and pedal dance. The car is going faster and you have only one hand on the wheel while the foot is not available for instantaneous braking. All of this takes you away from other stimuli you should be paying attention to like emergency vehicles, bicycles, little kids, etc...
This is the 21st century and, except for sport, the whole concept of changing gears is a concept that should have died with the carburetor. It's no mistake that the vast majority of cars sold are AT and, to quote Bob Elton, ".....the consumer has spoken. The millions of US buyers who opt for today's automatic transmissions do not do so because they are stupid, uncoordinated, unsafe or oblivious to the joys of driving. They do so because they know a good thing when they drive one."
The market dictates like it or not, and not everyone is wrong, AT is the way to go. All of the criticisms boil down to money and like I said - if you can't afford to keep a car, you should be taking the bus. Use your time to study, get a better job, and buy that MT sports car for fun. In the premium comfort of my AT car I'll have my hand on the sexy honey next to me, you all can just keep fondling that stick.