One idea is that manual flying will keep pilots sharp in being aware of what the /c is doing. This initiative is generated by what appears to be lack of monitoring of the automatics. I applaud retaining manual skills, but I also feel, strongly, that there has to be an answer to the complacency of using automatics. I see time & again young pilots who make a selection via the automatics; i.e. they make a command to the a/c via MCP or FMC to compete a task. They then do not keep a sharp eye on the ac/ to confirm it is following their commands. Eventually, they might realise that all is not well, and the first thought is "why is it not doing what I wanted?" or "why is my selection not achieving the result I want?" In manual flight I would hope this questioning would cause an immediate adjustment to control/thrust input. No questioning, just action.
It is this delay & confusion when using automatics that often causes problems. Manual flight is great, but it needs to go hand in hand with a solid understanding of the automatics.