system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: Why do planes need a billion buttons and switches in the cockpit?

I've been in one of the pilot school simulators before and it seemed like the only important things were radio, lights, landing gear, flaps, engine speeds, tail rudder, and the steering wheel. What do the rest do and why are they important?
gpt
When you're in a flying box with upwards of a hundred people as your responsibility, the last thing you want to do is rely on a computer having 100% control over ANYTHING.

The cockpit has manual controls for damn near (if not all) subsystem onboard. Most switches/buttons probably never need to be flipped, but you want to have absolute control over everything for any sort of "just in case" moment, because at 30,000 ft. you don't have any other options if something goes wrong.