Should the US adopt the Metric System?

[7LineFan]

But in some ways we have. When was the last time you saw something other than a one, two or three liter bottle of soda? And Mechanical Pencils are 0.5, 0.7 or 0.9mm. I purchased a package of pretzel rods and the bag is labled 10oz. - 284g.

 

Physics and Chemistry are taught (at least in my school) in SI, which is basically the metric system, so we have to be familiar with it. Interconversion is a different story though...

[R68 Subway Car]

Can I have Royal with Cheese?

[Tokkemon]

I grew up in Canada and I much preferred the Metric system for certain things and the Imperial system for other things. For example: when measuring small distances, centimeters and millimeters made more sense to me than a "3/4 inch". I also prefer "100 kmph" over "65 mph". Miles are a ridiculous number anyway. I preferred Celsius over Fahrenheit, but I can use both. I prefer "feet" over "meters", yet I prefer "meters" over the "yard". I prefer gallon over liters in some applications (like gas), but prefer liters in other situations (like in pepsi). I prefer the cooking measurements of "cup" and "tablespoon"/"teaspoon" simply because they are more useful than saying "15 ml". Perhaps I'm just used to it. The logic behind the metric system is what attracts me to it. But the Imperial system makes more sense in some applications that don't deal in factors of 10s, like in cooking.

 

That being said, I think the US *could* adopt the Metric system if they really wanted to, but its unlikely they ever will.

[Joel Up Front]

Enjoy paying 4x as much for even the smallest amount of liquids. Ironic enough that the country whose units we derived ours from is half and half - miles and all that for speed and distance, but metric for liquids, and why they pay the equivalent of $8 a gallon for effing gasoline.

 

Note also how they stealthily screw you out of more money for less, on things like shampoo. They make the packaging thinner so it feels like there's more in there, but they secretly started selling it in exact mL amounts (360 mL) which are less than our fluid ounces without telling anyone.

 

This is also why soda companies started selling bottles by the liter - more money for less of the good itself.

 

And imagine rappers talking about drinking "1,182s." Some things just aren't meant to be stated in SI units.

[Infamous85]

I agree, however, these kids now a days will not be willing to learn it. Im sorry but the kids now are just dumb. With all the cell phones, facebook, twitter, and the internet talk, they will wont have a clue. And then the teachers are getting younger and dumber, and these young teachers dont know there ass from there behind.

 

I disagree, and don't see how those make kids not have a clue. I mean most Americans know Imperial measurements since it's the standard, but Metric isn't THAT hard. The way schools shove Spanish/French down your throat for years I'm sure the Metric system can be seriously taught. I learned it and forgot it almost as quickly because a few days later it was something else, if you learn something you're not gonna use you'll probably forget it. If anything you have to worry about the older people who are set in there ways rather than kids who are in school to actually learn.

 

IF it is fully adopted then it should be gradual, just jumping to a whole different system out of nowhere would be disastrous and irresponsible.

 

I personally prefer the current system for the most part but I have no problem with both being supported in the U.S.

[B35 via Church]

And imagine rappers talking about drinking "1,182s."

 

too many syllables....

 

but still... lmfao @ that.

[Urbanfortitude]

I figure since they bothered to teach me the conversion process for this crap may as well make it a little more mainstream that way I don't have to look it up on the internet when I need to use it. But as far as replacing our current system I say nay. It's a bit of a challenge to be ambiguous but its not impossible.

[Grand Concourse]

Honestly, I would prefer the metric system since it is a pita to remember how to convert under the current system we have. With the metric system, you just move the decimal point, it's simple.

[CTK246]

I agree, however, these kids now a days will not be willing to learn it. Im sorry but the kids now are just dumb. With all the cell phones, facebook, twitter, and the internet talk, they will wont have a clue. And then the teachers are getting younger and dumber, and these young teachers dont know there ass from there behind.

 

Come on now. I'm 15 and I'm the only one in my class who knows what an R160 is, I produce my own music in GarageBand, and a small bit of iOS programming. Many kids are smarter than adults think.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Come on now. I'm 15 and I'm the only one in my class who knows what an R160 is, I produce my own music in GarageBand, and a small bit of iOS programming. Many kids are smarter than adults think.

 

The thing is kids are getting smarter, but for all of the really smart ones, some parents aren't doing their job which means a bigger gap between those kids that are smart and those who aren't.

[Kamen Rider]

Please, watch the Nazi Banksters Crimes Ripple Effect at http://jforjustice.co.uk/banksters

[aemoreira81]

Given that science already uses metrics/SI, I think that it should be done once the fiscal house is in order (the Constitution actually grants the feds this power to set weights and measures). It should be gradual, however, over a seven-year period.

[Joel Up Front]

Kelvin is actually pretty cool because you know that if it hits 0, we're all focked.

[R32 3348]

The Metric system is much easier to learn in school because it's just factors of 10 and lends itself much easier when you're doing math/science problems. I think the U.S. should convert over to the metric system for the most part, but as other people have said it should be a very gradual process so that when they decide to switch over something pretty big into the metric system, people would go "oh that's not so bad, I already know a meter is a little over 3 feet anyway". It's also much easier to memorize measurements. A mile/kilometer is simply 1,600 meters. That's much easier to remember than 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet.

 

The customary system would be more practical in situations like some national sports (I don't necessarily see football switching over to meters, but U.S. track switched over to the metric system a while back and it's more fit for the sport) and things of relatively short distance ("oh that thing is only half a foot long"). There's nothing stating that we can't use both systems depending on the situation. But if literally everyone else in the world uses the metric system then there's nothing stopping us from doing so either.

[553 Bridgeton]

Come on now. I'm 15 and I'm the only one in my class who knows what an R160 is, I produce my own music in GarageBand, and a small bit of iOS programming. Many kids are smarter than adults think.

 

There are smart ones out there, but there are just way too many dumb ones that go to school for there heath.

[R68 Subway Car]

I think we should have both systems.

[Joel Up Front]

We already do: we use watts for power applications, volts, and amps...

 

Liters for soda and liquor, except beer.

 

But inches still have their use in tire rim sizes, and in some European applications, they even measure tire width in inches while we use millimeters. Yes, that means even the European countries with their "oh look at the Americans they do not use metric" use some imperial units.

[Shortline Bus]

The customary system would be more practical in situations like some national sports (I don't necessarily see football switching over to meters, but U.S. track switched over to the metric system a while back and it's more fit for the sport) and things of relatively short distance ("oh that thing is only half a foot long"). There's nothing stating that we can't use both systems depending on the situation. But if literally everyone else in the world uses the metric system then there's nothing stopping us from doing so either.

 

 

Of course national sports here in US i.e NFL/College Football would not change. I personally support a gradual switch to the metric system myself.

With that said, I am sure some clueless politican would use the fears that the metric system is 'un-american' and be the reason it has never came close to passing in Congress. Just like the in the 1970's/80's.

 

 

Also a question guys? Do you enjoy when the weather states 30 degrees to describe the weather that about close to 85 degrees .

[Tokkemon]

I could cope with either system. Personally, I just think Celsius makes way more sense. If its below 0, you know to wear your mittens because everything's frozen outside.

[Roadcruiser1]

I am sorry, but the Americans that lack common sense, and knowledge just won't know what to do. They would just look at the sign while looking brain dead at the same time.

[Kamen Rider]

Please, watch the Nazi Banksters Crimes Ripple Effect at http://jforjustice.co.uk/banksters

[Tokkemon]

the problem with celcius, as I see it, is there is some sort of logical connection in my mind (which I don't really understand) of "big numbers= hot out". which is why I like the kelvin scale becuase 100 F is 311 K

 

Might be because you're used to the Fahrenheit system of larger numbers = hot. I was confused when 40 degrees in Celsius was close to 100 degrees Fahrenheit. But I got used to it eventually.

[TrainFanatic]

In the past, I've actually took my own time to learn a few things about the metric system, such as mph in conversion to kph and feet in conversion to meters. It's actually quite easy.

 

Come on now. I'm 15 and I'm the only one in my class who knows what an R160 is, I produce my own music in GarageBand, and a small bit of iOS programming. Many kids are smarter than adults think.

 

That's of course understandable. The average teenager isn't interested in trains.

[SubwayGuy]

celsius and fahrenheit are reasonably simple to get used to respectively.

 

i'd have a much harder time adapting to liters, grams, meters, etc.

[Joel Up Front]

When I play video games like F-Zero, which were made in Japan and use km/h for speed, and they don't have options to switch to Imperial units, I'm fine.