Even though I learned to drive on a stick, I never saw the appeal. It just seems like unnecessary work with little to no benefit. Plus when I was growing up, you pretty much got the manual trans only if you couldn't afford to pop for the auto.

I honestly didn't equate it to being a preference until a lot of my friends got on me for buying a Trans Am with an auto. That diminished severely when I challenged their Mustangs, Civics, and whatnot to races. No one could beat the automatic T/A (stock save for a K&N).

I get that some folks feel more in control or connected to the car when rowing their own gears. It's the same reason that I drop the AutoStick into manual mode on twisty roads. Other than those all-too-infrequent occasions of tearing up a windy road, I can't think of a reason to have a stick.

Culturally, I would guess that we simply have more traffic congestion and less fun roads that we regularly get to drive on.