Those advocating we opt to fly more manually in the sim must be working for exceptional companies. For the bulk of us, the sim is used more for checking than training, and with a career, house and family riding on the line, most simply can't put their neck on the block like that.
I have been fortunate that my employers have a checking day and a training day every other check, and previous employers had training days each check. Not all employers do this. Now, these training days are assessed too, so you still have to be careful during the sessions and that includes full, appropriate use of automatics, FMC and so on. However, these sessions over the years covered double engine failures, rudder hard-overs, ash clouds with erratic engine operation (including a flame out which self re-lit, but you lose the other which was running with no indication, and if you don't land within a very short time scale, a loss of the running engine too...), FMC failures, EFIS failure, manual reversion (all hydraulics) and lateral control failure, and more. So, all of our line pilots get to expand their experience. If we finish early, then it's play time, un-assessed - I had a go as a Sioux City/Baghdad scenario using just thrust to control a 737 from 400' on TO to landing, and it was all good stuff, but few get that opportunity and few feel they can take that chance on a "training" session that is recorded an assessed.
As for glider pilots' superiority - hogwash. I have flown with many, and while some are excellent, the majority are arrogant and cavalier. In the UK, it is commonplace for gliders to penetrate controlled airspace because they know they can't be seen on radar and they'll get away with it. That is their "airmanship". I fly with low hour cadets, experienced FOs and new FOs with GA instructor backgrounds. All I can say is that you have to judge each by their own merit - there is no pattern dictating which has better skill or judgement.
What can be done to improve things is for authorities to insist companies make clear in their manuals and training that raw data and manual flying practice are to be encouraged when circumstances permit, including unassessed periods in the sim, to increase our competence and confidence in flying the aircraft and not the manuals, and to stop harassing crews for petty SOP deviations that had good airmanship behind them. This is the bigger issue; SOP is now banded around as dogma, and anyone who uses airmanship is branded a heretic.