Manuals vs. Autos (Again)
I'm sure you're right about the "majority" being manuals, but I'm not sure where you heard it. I wasn't able to find much in the way of statistics on Google about it one way or the other. I have, however, spent the last 35 years travelling the world from one end to the other, and nowadays the only places I've seen where the manual is notably more common than the auto are some populous developing countries that have their own auto industries like Mexico, India and Indonesia. And even in those countries, the manual is largely limited to entry - level cars (The ubiquitous Nissan Tsuru etc.) and utility vehicles. 15 years ago, I would have said you were absolutely, indubitably correct. Today, not so much. especially in Europe, Australia, Japan, and the Former Soviet Union. (Don't laugh -its a big area with lots of money.)
The rest of the world, believe it or not, has pretty much the same cars as we do on the road. (Detroit not so much, with the exception of Ford in Europe and the former Soviet Union, and GM in China.) but no matter where you go in the world, you'll find the same Nissans, Toyotas, Hondas, Kias, Hyundais, and VW's that clutter our roads in North America, and they're mostly automatics.
Like most people my age (59) I learned in a manual. It was a requisite to get your license back then. I learned to drive in a 1964 Ford pickup with a 3-on-the tree. Nobody, but NOBODY had an automatic in a pickup until the mid 60's. (Hey, when was the last time you saw a manual in a modern, loaded $80K diesel King Ranch F350 (or equivalent)?) Cars, unless they were high end, were also manuals. When automatics became more available (read: affordable) a lot of people (including my Dad) didn't want one because of very real power loss and poor gas mileage. Most people on this forum are too young to remember the 2 speed "slush boxes" that were offered back in the day. I had a 1964 Mercury Comet with a 200 Cu/in 6 cylinder that literally couldn't pull bubblegum off a sidewalk.
With the new technologies incorporated today in AT's, and torque converters, there's really nothing in it anymore, and no further need for discussion about which is superior.
If you want to learn to drive a manual as a "life skill" - that's great, more knowledge and experience never hurts. Manuals are fun. Can they make you a better driver? I doubt it. Should you try it? Definitely.
Should you wave your "Manual Transmission Operator's Certificate" in peoples' faces? Sure. Just don't try it with me.:soapbox: