Why don't we just adopt the Metric System?

[BayouBengal07]

So I'm watching the weightlifting in the Olympics, and they keep having to convert the weight from kilos to pounds. Why don't we just suck it up and adopt the metric system ourselves? The whole world uses it, hell, even American scientists use it.

Or would that be too "internationalist" of us?

"First they'll make us use the metric system, then they'll put chips in our hands and make us pledge aliegence to the UN!"

[GOPisEvil]

1. We tried it once. Everyone hated it.

Resistance to change is a powerful thing.

[phantom power]

5. We did it wrong.

Everyone else just did it cold-turkey. We tried to do it half-way, using both in parallel.

I think we should do it, and it should be all at once.

[PDittie]

7. that's right

People in the South were completely twirled out about it.

(Besides, I'm sure the Democratic Party would be blamed for it if we tried again to change...)

[GOPisEvil]

8. Not to mention the huge cost involved...

Road signs would have to be converted and/or relocated, gas pumps recalibrated, etc...

Heck, even the Brits sell beer by the pint still. Some things NEVER change! :D

[RivetJoint]

10. And they still measure road distance by the mile N/T

[olddem43]

19. Not a problem if there's a profit motive -

The liquor industry changed immediately when they found that some of the new size bottles would hold slightly less than the ones they replaced. Of course, they dragged their feet when it went the other way. Eventually, the cost of having two systems and the loss of business to foreign competitors will get it done for businesses but some things will require Government action. Britain had to impose fines for not using metrics in stores because the RW resistance was so bad.

[PeaceForever]

62. Does that bother you that Big Brother imposes fines for people who don't..

use metric?? It bothers me.

[olddem43]

70. No, because product labeling laws already exist -

They require that amounts of product be listed in some conventional system anyway, not an obscure or difficult to understand system. It's just that the system is changed. It is important to have a standard so that they can't keep changing the amount and/or price without everyone knowing what they're doing. At present, we are stuck with a dual system with many, if not most products. For example, look at a gallon of milk - it also says 3.79 liters, soft drinks are sold in 12 oz cans with also so many ml and also in 2 liter bottles. It's way past time to change and the longer we put it off the more difficult it becomes.

[PeaceForever]

74. That makes sense when you put it that way.

Thanks for explaining it.

[Endangered Specie]

27. They still use MPH too.

[HuckleB]

29. Actually, I suspect the costs would be minimal in the long run...

compared to the ongoing costs of going back and forth between the two, folks having to have two sets of tools, etc... etc...

[Endangered Specie]

34. And the cost of just totally fucking up because of it...

a certain NASA mars satellite comes to mind.

[Xipe Totec]

60. Actually, It Was The Dopes Using The English System

That screwed the pooch on that one. Everybody else was on board with the metric.

You gotta love the system for it's simplicity and self-reference.

Start with a meter for distance. Now measure a plot of land 100 meters on the side and you have a hectare (10,000 square meters). Make a cube one meter on the side and you have one thousand liters. Fill it with water and you have a metric ton (1,000 kilos). Freeze it and you have zero degrees centigrade. Boil it and you have 100 degrees centigrade.

[devlin radiset]

the gov't tried to push it in the 70's

but the populace didn't want it. No real popular support.

[Reverend_Smitty]

2. Didn't we already try to do that in the 70's?

and I think it went over as well as a lead balloon

[Union Thug]

3. I've been asking this question for 20 years

It makes perfect sense.

I mean, it's not as though we are devoid of metrics anyway. How many of us buy soda in 2 litre bottles, after all? =)

[Rowdyboy]

4. Back in the early 1970's the government decided America MUST

go "metric". They legislated it and the people simply refused to comply. It was so enormously unpopular that no administration had the guts to force the issue and it died out altogether in the 1980's.

When the people say no, there's really not much the government can do.

[BayouBengal07]

6. Oh, oops.

Well, I'm 19, I've lived all my life with the US system. Didn't know we already tried.

[Xipe Totec]

84. That's OK, We're Inching Our Way To Metric

We're on the last mile,

gotta put one foot in front of the other,

use our last ounce of strength,

we can't keep the metric system under a bushel forever,

because pound for pound,

It's the best system, and besides,

it will be a barrel of fun to get everyone converted!

[DebJ]

9. We're not smart enough to handle change or more than 1 language

[RivetJoint]

12. I think it

is because we just don't want to. The American people are not dumb; they just don't see a NEED to change.

[HuckleB]

15. Yes, but, now we have had to learn two measuring systems...

not to mention how to convert back and forth between them.

Think of the time we could have used to study another language instead.

:)

[olddem43]

11. That's another thing the stupid Repgs have prevented.

Conversion to metrics. We are the last industrialized nation that hasn't done so. It makes no sense to keep this system of ounces, pounds, furlongs, fortnights, drams, leagues, stones, chains, acres, quarts, cunt-hairs, bushels, tons, miles, ad nauseum.

It has to be costing us a lot in foreign commerce. Nothing will change as long as the reactionary Repugs are in charge.

[PeaceForever]

63. If the Republicans are responsible, then that's 1 issue I agree w/ them on

Maybe I'm old fashioned at age 28, but I've spent my life internalizing and thinking in terms of pounds, feet, inches, miles, and degrees Fahrenheit. Count me as one of those who doesn't want that to change.

[olddem43]

68. If so, you are probably not in a scientific or technical field

Further, it makes no sense from an economic standpoint, considering the implications with foreign trade. Many people don't like change but the metric system is clearly far superior and is the world standard.

[PeaceForever]

73. No, I'm not in a scientific or technical field, so obviously . . .

I see it differenly. Of course it makes sense to use metric in science as opposed to everyday life.

[HuckleB]

13. Why do we call a game Soccer, when most people call it Football?

It's not like the term resembles the American game that we call Football, and yet we stubbornly cling to such misnomers.

Why? Why? Why?

:)

Because our national motto really is:

Stop Making Sense!

[RivetJoint]

14. We'd have to change the name

of our national sport (sorry baseball lovers). Why would we want to do that?

[HuckleB]

18. Because it's misnamed.

And why do football fans have to constantly bash baseball? Sounds like they've got an inferiority complex about their favorite spectator sport.

[RivetJoint]

20. Who decided it was misnamed?

We've called it football, since the time it WAS football (but even then it was more akin to rugby).

[HuckleB]

25. I did.

And I'd say anyone who thinks logically about the game would say the same thing. Doing something because we've always done it that way isn't a good argument for keeping a name or doing something that doesn't make sense. Besides, calling it "football" keeps the sport as the butt of jokes for the rest of the world, and I grew tired of defending the name, so now I agree with the rest of the world!

:)

[RivetJoint]

33. It WAS football

the playing of the game and the modernization of the rules (like allowing the forward pass) changed over the years. Did you want them to change the name every time a major rule modification came about. The game progressed and they (we) kept the name. No big deal. The Aussies do the same thing with Australian Rules Football.

[HuckleB]

39. Nope. Even then it made no sense.

Sure, there was more kicking, but it wasn't the main part of the game.

Besides, even if it was logical back in the day (which it wasn't. the originators simply lacked creativity), when you change something so much that it becomes illogical, then you should change the name of the game, since it's not really the same game anymore.

[RivetJoint]

45. Sorry

It's tradition.

[HuckleB]

46. Hee hee. Whatever you say.

So is our current measuring system. So are dishonest political ads by the GOP. So are all kinds of things that make no sense.

The least we could do is show the world some respect and call it American Football, and not just plain football. But we all know that showing respect to others is unAmerican!

:)

[RivetJoint]

48. "They" already call it American football, so

why should we? Especially since we call that "other" sport soccer. Showing respect over the name of a sport is just silly.

[HuckleB]

53. Like I said, whatever you say.

It's illogical to call it football. There's no logical argument for maintaining the status quo. That's all that there is to it.

Bye, bye!

:)

[HalfManHalfBiscuit]

52. Soccer is a British word

They came up with it.

It sucks no matter what you call it. Little girls playing keep-away.

[HuckleB]

55. Funny thing. Many of the words we use are British in origin.

And it's (football/soccer) just about the most exciting sport to watch in the world. Constant, incredible action.

But stick with your cliches and miss out. Doesn't hurt me any.

[DrWeird]

16. It's communist.

At least according to letters to the editors in the seventies.

Just wait. It won't be long before somebody posts in this thread that it's no good for measuring because it doesn't "feel right."

[PeaceForever]

64. That's a cute way to laugh at the "it doesn't feel right argument."

But it's still true that if you grew up on the English System, you've usually internalized miles, feet, inches, and pounds. Am I gonna start saying that I'm 1.93 meters instead of 6'4"?? Fuck that!

[southpaw]

17. The problem in the 70's seemed to be...

that everyone felt the need to convert metric to English and vice-versa. Stop trying to convert one to the other and just make the switch.

The English system is so arbitrary. Metric makes sense, and is vastly easier.

[PeaceForever]

66. Metric doesn't do a good job with people-oriented measurements.

For example, there is no real metric equivalent of the foot (which is used ALL THE TIME in day-to-day life) or really even the inch. Kilograms don't break down the weight to the same precision as pounds. Same with Celsius compared with Fahrenheit.

Metric does have an advantage in measuring tiny things (e.g., the gram), but other than that, the English System is generally a lot more useful in the real world.

[NewJeffCT]

78. Centimeter?

2.54 CM to an inch?

[soothsayer]

21. A meter is 1/10,000,000 of the earth's circumference

bwa ha ha! that'll never catch on.

[DieboldMustDie]

31. More like 1/40,000,000

http://www.geocities.com/aleph135/geodetic14.html

[soothsayer]

76. my measure is from pole to equator

http://www.cafemeetingplace.com/archives/mis_jul2003.htm

[Kellanved]

44. actually

It is the distance the light travels in 1/299.792.458 seconds. Before that it was the wavelength of a certain radiation emitted by Kr86 Atoms. Before that it was the length of the meter prototype and before that it was 1/4*10^6 of the Paris-meridian.

Now, is there a reason for this not to catch on ? :P

[soothsayer]

75. yer measure came later than mine (as did your post, hee hee)

A meter measures a particular distance (39.37 inches). The meter was originally conceived to equal one ten-millionth of the distance of one-quarter of the earth’s circumference along the equator. Later that was refined scientifically and now the meter is defined in terms of wavelengths of radiation coming from a Krypton atom in a vacuum. (Yes Krypton really exists; it is not just Superman stuff!)

http://www.cafemeetingplace.com/archives/mis_jul2003.htm

[shaolinmonkey]

22. "My car gets 30 rods to the hogs-head...

and that's the way I likes it!"

--Grandpa Simpson.

[Xipe Totec]

61. How Fast Does it Go?

In furlongs per fortnight?

[alarimer]

23. I don't know what people have against it

In my work, I am a fish and wildlife technician. we measure a lot of fish and we always use metric, even when measuring fish anglers catch at boat ramps. Since we use millimeters, I often get a lot of comments like "why can't we use American measurements?". i just say that the metric system is more accurate and it is universal (except for here I guess). People are appallingly ignorant (in this as in so many things). I have to explain that 380 mm is roughly equivalent to 15 inches.

[RivetJoint]

28. Because 36-24-36

sounds better than 91.44-60.06-91.44?

[Bernardo de La Paz]

41. 90 - 60 - 90 . . . . . . nt

[RivetJoint]

47. You left off that all important

1.44 centimeters

[PeaceForever]

67. The English System is more useful in real life as opposed to science.

Think people will start thinking in terms of 380 millimeters when 15 inches is a lot more intuitive?

[alarimer]

71. no probably not

I don't think we will ever get people to switch to metric. Minimum size limits are listed in inches although I guess using centimeters wouldn't be that bad. It is just weird- people say things like "380?? I thought it was legal-sized" LOL)

[ajacobson]

24. The Stonecutters

Who controls the British Crown?
Who keeps the Metric System down?
We do! We do!
Who leaves Altantis off the maps?
Who keeps the Martians under wraps?
We do! We do!

Who holds back the electric car?
Who makes Steve Guttenberg a star?
We do! We do!

Who robs cave fish of their sight?
Who rigs every Oscar night?
We do! We do!


From Simpsons episode 2F09 - Homer the Great

[Bernardo de La Paz]

26. Americans arrogant, provincial. Republicans worse, Bush worst

Americans are arrogant and provincial. They think that the rest of the world will somehow knuckle under.

The army led the way to integration. Metric is deemed better by the army and the rest of the country will follow that way, sooner or later. But given American arrogance, provincialism, and inertia, it will be later.

The fact is that exporters have to maintain two sets of measurements and sometimes even manufacture two lines of products. So there is an expense or hidden tax in maintaining American archaic measurements.

Stupid mistakes occur with the archaic American system, like the multi-hectamillion dollar loss of the Mars Observer spacecraft (was it as much as a billion dollars), which was caused by a mistake dealing with archaic American measurements.

Republicans complain the loudest about converting the country to the metric system. They will make arguments like "small businesses will bear the cost the most", etc., but it is really a conservative rearguard action resisting change, any kind of change, especially modernization. George Bush is the last person who would ever think of using metric system. It was invented by the French!

The American intransigence in clinging to its archaic measuring system is a sign of the empire ossifying and crumbling, as are excessive terror alerts, petty security, isolationism, and cultural imperialism.

The rest of the world is not going to abandon the logical metric system. So it is inevitable that America will adopt it. The longer that is delayed, the more expensive and wrenching it becomes.

Get with the program. Duh.

[Swamp Rat]

54. ¡Bésamelo!

Such sweeping generalities about Americans, but you are right that it will cost more in the long run if America does not convert to the metric system.

[NewJeffCT]

79. agreed

How much has this cost American manufacturers over the years by having to have 1 standard for the US and 1 standard for the rest of the world? Why does my 30 inch TV have to be 30 inches and not 75cm?
How much extra does it cost the Japanese to prepare it for our market?

[Endangered Specie]

30. I think that if we told people that kilograms look alot better than pounds

in terms of their weight, things would change. 120kg = 265lb 330lb = 150kg for example.

[RivetJoint]

35. Yeah, but fat is fat!

[Endangered Specie]

37. yes yes, but it sounds so much better in kg...

trust me.


At least drug dealers do it right, if they can, so can we.

Besides, Id love to see a 1/2 meter hot dog or a 1/2 kg cheeseburger :)

[RivetJoint]

38. LMAO

That's all we need. Enough of those 1/2 kg burgers and people would be 300 Kgs and nor Lbs.

[DieboldMustDie]

42. Those are some really big ass hot dogs and burgers.

:shrug:

[Kellanved]

58. The Hot Dog is no problem

Half-Meter suasages are available on almost any fair.

I haven't seen a 500g Hamburger though; a fact somewhat compensated by 1m Bratwurst.

[yellowcanine]

80. Stones are even better; 300 lbs = 21 1/2 stones approx.

for human weight, i believe 1 stone = 14 pounds. 21 1/2 stones sounds a lot less than 300 pounds.

[forgethell]

32. Cause the metric system sucks

French, and all, don't you know.

[Endangered Specie]

36. "It sounds gay"

-Ive heard that one before.

[Endangered Specie]

40. Honestly, I could do the metric, except for one thing...

Centigrade, I just have a hard time wanting to dress for summer when they say its 30degrees out.

[yvr girl]

51. Oh, ya

Well I can't figure out if I need to wear a jacket when it's 50 F. Cuts both ways.

[Q3JR4]

43. Speaking as a physics major,

most of the sciences are already on the metric system.

Now speaking as a student, it's easier to learn. You memorize one set of words (kilo, hecto, deca, deci, centi, milli), and it works for everything. Meters, grams, liters, etc.

Either we move the "." or we continue to use our outdated system (what the heck is a "stone" anyway?).

For me, the hardest part was thinking about it (metric lengths and such) in terms of lengths I was familiar with. Now it just comes naturally.

[olddem43]

59. Stones are real great -

There's a different weight of stone depending on whether you are weighing potatoes, people or something else. Sort of like ounces of gold (troy) or ounces of food (avoirdupois) or ounces of liquid(fluid oz.) That clears that up. Now go back and work on memorizing your conversion factors.

[yvr girl]

49. It takes a generation plus to go metric

My entire education was in metric. One of my clearest memories from grade 1 is going to the office to get my new metric ruler. That being said, I am not completely metric.

I understand the metric system, and it is my default for many things, but not everything. I know my height in feet and inches. I cook using cups and teaspoons. When I enter a baby pool, I guess in pounds. I think this is because my parents' default setting was not metric. They understand it too, but their first thought is Imperial. If you talk to the average 20 year old in Canada, they are completely metric, and would be confused by many Imperial measurements.

[tridim]

50. I'd walk 1.609 kilometers for a Camel

At least I would if I still smoked.

Seriously, I think the backlash came about because of temperatures. The Celsius scale is so much different than Fahrenheit that it doesn't make much sense to people who are used to the old way.

[pagerbear]

56. Just imagine if the US had had the old British pounds sterling

...and had to convert to a decimal monetary system. We'd still be pinching farthings!

[elperromagico]

57. If we adopt the metric system, that means the terra'ists have won!

And besides, don't the FRENCH use the metric system? ;)

[niceperson]

65. spite

[KamaAina]

69. Don't you mean the Freedom System?

A UN black helicpoter can travel at over 400 km/h... :tinfoilhat:

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

72. Why? Did it's parents finally die?

It seems like it is old enough to live on it's own, I mean, Jesus, it is like 200 or so, right?

[yellowcanine]

77. We pretty much HAVE adopted it in many areas - basically both are used.

Science and high tech is pretty much all metric. Building trades are about the only area which is still almost strictly English system.

[CanuckAmok]

81. "The Metric System is a tool of the devil..."

"...my car gets 30 drams to the hog's head, and that's just the way I likes it!"

[franmarz]

82. Metric System

Since I am a math cripple, I detest the metric system. Too bad the founding forefathers elected to reject the metric system when our nation was first established, but now it is very difficult for just plain me to figure out the difference, especially when I sew-make a lot of my own clothes, and cant figure the yards versus the meters when making a pattern.

[Ron Green]

83. It's in the Poetry....

and throughout the fabric of the English language. And if meaning resides in language, then the English measuring system will be with us for a long time. Anyone who works in science or turns a wrench or any of a number of measuring activities uses the metric system with ease. It's good to work in both; it stretches the brain and increases understanding of the physical world.
:beer: "A pint's a pound, the world around"

[Guy_Montag]

85. For all of those that get stick for using the metric system:

we Brits refer to the English/American system as imperial measures.

I'm fairly bilingual. I still measure my height & weight in imperial measurements. I also cook in imperial, though 25g is an ounce (or near as dammit). I ask for my drinks, rolling tobacco & pot in imperial. But all my work is in metric well SI actually. Even the stuff bought from the US tends to come in 2 slightly different sizes one for domestic & one for international.

My old car is all imperial though which is a pain in the arse these days.

[jmowreader]

86. The Metric Inch was a failure

Many years ago, before some of you were even born, a KGB researcher read in some Western technical journal a story about integrated circuits. He learned that these devices made lightweight electronics that drew little power and decided that this was a technology the Soviet Union would be wise to pursue.

Uncharacteristically for the Soviet government, the Politburo approved this suggestion quickly--it helped that this was a technology that could be used in weapons of war.

They sent Soviet technologists to learn to make integrated circuits. They developed some decent designs, and they started making some real good basic components--741 op amps, 555 timers, that kind of thing. These chips were as good as anything the West was making.

Unfortunately for them, the pins on an IC are one-tenth of an inch apart. Everything is set up for that exact measurement. Because the Soviet Union had a law against inches, they invented a Metric Inch--25 millimeters.

The pins on Soviet ICs were spaced 2.5 millimeters apart, which is fine if you're working with Soviet printed circuit boards. But they managed to sell some ICs to a western nation. The nation bought the ICs, put them in their chip inserter, pressed the start button and looked on in dismay as all of the pins on the ICs neatly folded themselves up under the chip cases.