The
internet is really increasing standardization. Language is becoming standardized around English and even odd English
acronyms like IMHO and LOL are becoming commonplace.
But I would
have thought that, by now, the U.S. would be closer to adopting the metric system. Here is an area that America is far behind the rest of the world in …
I wrote
five years ago:
why, o’ why, do we still use
inches, feet, miles, pounds, acres, leagues, ounces, Fahrenheit, tons, gallons,
bushels, hogsheads, horsepower, pints, and teaspoons?
I’m still
not sure. but I have a proposal to
Google … help us slowly move to the metric system.
Here’s the
logic:
First —
the old English system of measurements (that even the English don’t use
anymore) is evil. It is incredibly
inefficient and hard to grapple with. So
here is a small proposal on how Google can help rid some of this evil …
Very
simple:
Just
deliver information in both the English system and the metric system. In Google maps (which for American users
displays all distances only in miles) also display distances in
kilometers. If I type in "weather
san Francisco" into Google, also display the results in
Celsius. Etc.
Very
simple. A few small changes could help
the American public slowly acclimate to this "crazy" metric system.
I respectfully disagree.
While the metric system makes math easy, it forces day-today amounts *less* comprehensible, not more.
A pint is a good measure for beer – 500ml of lager sounds like drinking medicine. A tablespoon of coffee per cup makes coffeemaking easier. A foot is a foot and a yard is a stride.
So, for engineering, the metric system saves a world of hurt. But the English system is very “human”, Auren, and that is good in and of itself.
I’m going to have to concur with Matthew. Granted, I think a lot of my comfort level is based on having grown up with the Customary system, but it really does make small, everyday amounts much more managable. I mean, what is easier to imagine: two meters, or six feet, six inches? The metric system fails to account for the “eyeball” factor. Also, commies use it.
You’re right, Auren. It’s like we’re still living in the middle ages. The two previous post don’t make a bit of sense, by the way.
Agreed, if we switched over to the metric system like everyone else has already done (and if they’ve all already done it, how could it be a bad idea?) we would never dream of switching back it would be so easy.
I agree! Please start a petition. Thank you. Timothy.
I think that having something unique to one’s culture is good. It makes it interesting. Complete globalization, simply to pretend that we all are living in the same world. is silly. I understand that in engineering it would be easier, but is there always a need to phase something out? Perhaps having Americans (as a whole) understanding that the world does not operate on all the same rules is interesting. But the story of our metric system is our history. We were ruled by a king; feet changed with the ruler. Looking at globalization as an answer to just make your daily life easier? it starts to get boring, no?
I could not agree more that we should switch to the metric system. I am Italian (born and raise) and it is confusing to the world not to use the metric system!
Totally agree with you, Auren. To reply to the first 2 comments: 500ml of lager makes a lot of sense to me because I grew up with the metric system. After 4 years in the US, I still don’t know how long a yard is without Google… I went through the Franc to Euro conversion in 2002, so I admit that changing to a new unit takes time and is a little painful at the beginning. 1 year is probably enough for most, 2 years for the eldest. But it would be so worth it in the case of the metric system…