the metric system rocks what is wrong with you people?

[yomom1919]

because its almost the equivalent to learning another language.

 

when someone learns a language, its this means this. but actually, this is this. for example people speaking german dont say hund means dog, hund means hund.

 

so well have to keep converting things like a language. how tall or fat are you in kilometers or whatever you guys use? well have to convert every single measurment back. itll be hella annoying.

[Bubsa]

ok well my friend has this joke going on whenever we play halo 2 and he dies he blames it on the metric system, whenever he cant explain something it is the metric system's fault, but ive just realised some people are serious about the metric system, they hate it.

 

why the hell would you hate a system that makes sense?

 

10 milimetres to a centimentre, 100 centimetres to a metre, 1000 metres to a kilometre, no matter how bad you are at maths you can't get confused with that.

 

 

 

Haha, my mate and I always do that with Microsoft. It's great fun.

 

There we were, at a BBQ, last Saturday.

 

Me: So, England out hey?

 

Matty D: Yup.

 

Both: Damn yoo Microsoft!

 

 

 

Hilarity ensued.

[sebbeberg]

Isn't America like one of the 4 or something countries that still use the imperial system?

 

 

 

Hey United States, the 1800s called, they want their system back!

 

 

 

I believe it's just us and Yemin. I have no idea where Yemin even is, so...Yea. Awesome.

 

Yemen is in Africa O:) (Atleast from what i know

[Make7upu101]

You know what's weird? In grades k-8 I used Imperial in school but all through high school (in more advanced classes such as physics/chem/pre-cal) we always use metric measurements.

 

 

 

I live in America by the way.

[insane]

Edit: And other countries seemed to have had no trouble converting. But I agree cost, given the size of America, could be a problem. But considering your current expenses, it'd be pocket change.

 

 

 

It would be trouble converting physically (signs, etc). BUT what's so hard about learning it mentally? Multiply 10. Repeat.

[yomom1919]

Edit: And other countries seemed to have had no trouble converting. But I agree cost, given the size of America, could be a problem. But considering your current expenses, it'd be pocket change.

 

 

 

It would be trouble converting physically (signs, etc). BUT what's so hard about learning it mentally? Multiply 10. Repeat.

 

because, right now, 100 meters means absolutely nothing to the average american. if you weigh x grams, that means nothing at all to an american. its not a matter of learning it, its a matter of relating it and realizing exactly how much a measurment is.

 

for example, if your an american, and talking to another american, and you say something like "man, it was so cool.. i was goin 160(mph)" or "the cop pulled me over cause i was going 70(mph)", they would understand and realize how fast that is. but if your talking "i was going like 200 kmh(or whatever it is)" then the person you were talking to would be like "ehh lets see convert the blah over blah and do this... and uhh (after a minute) wow thats fast!" or imagine a commercial for weight loss saying "do you weigh over (how many ever) grams?" then you need this" but if the same commercial said "do you weigh over 300 pounds?" then you could infer how much 300 pounds is.

 

in other words, to everyone who was brought up on the imperial system, all metrics would be is numbers. a number = a qty of other numbers. but with a system you already know, a number = a size, height, weight, speed, which you can simply think "how fast is 60mph", and you can imagine it.

[knives669]

I'm an American. And I am absolutely not trying to start any kind of flame war here but, it is pretty disrespectful for you guys to say that people in America are stupid, never do anything right, etc.

 

 

 

That being said, I have used our system of measurement my entire life. And speaking from my point of view, it would be very very difficult for me to convert, mainly because I'm horrible at math, and I'm even worse in the department of math that requires me to measure something.

 

 

 

I do not know how long a meter is.

 

I do not know how heavy a kilogram is.

 

I do not know how far a kilometer is.

 

Have I tried to learn? Yes. On many different occassions. But, I find it harder to learn when I cannot relate it to anything in my life.

 

 

 

I, for one, do not judge anyone based on the country that they hail from. But, everyone seems to judge me because I'm American. I don't care what you guys think of me, because I know that in the end, actions speak louder than words. However, we've had so many topics here about judgment and discrimination, and it hurts me to see how some of you have replied to this topic.

 

 

 

I like this community because the majority of you are open-minded, interesting people. I never thought I'd find that in a bunch of Runescape players. :P

 

 

 

So, live and let live. :D

[____]

IMO, Kayla, your maths would probably improve with the metric system - in some areas anyhow. And I believe you mean "I do not know how heavy a kilogram is" ;)

 

 

 

That being said, yes it'll be a hard transition phase, but overall, it would be no different from converting one type of unit to another.

 

 

 

The only really hard thing I can see is volume measurments :-?

[Kwisatz]

It's pretty much the stupid Americans! Why cant they accept the fact that the way they do EVERYTHING is wrong? They even spell wrong. It's annoying when you have to do some chemistry or something, but its in American units, so you have to convert...the losers.

 

 

 

It's pretty much those ignorant foreigners who stereotype US citizens without even using apostrophes. As somebody mentioned earlier, it's an infrastructure kind of thing. I don't see anybody having a heart attack or killing babies over the fact that we don't use the metric system, so there is little reason to spend billions upon billions of dollars to change it.

 

 

 

Yemen is in the Middle East, not Africa.

[WutangFlu]

the only reason for people who use imperial dont change is because it would litterally cost alot of $$ imagine changing all the street signs and all of that.

[darkmage099]

Isn't America like one of the 4 or something countries that still use the imperial system?

 

 

 

Hey United States, the 1800s called, they want their system back!

 

 

 

I believe it's just us and Yemin. I have no idea where Yemin even is, so...Yea. Awesome.

 

Yemen is in Africa O:) (Atleast from what i know

 

 

 

Yemen is not in Africa. Yemen is south of Saudi Arabia and west of Oman.

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/images/ibc_map_yemen_en.gif

 

 

 

click the link to find out where it actually is! :roll:

[knives669]

IMO, Kayla, your maths would probably improve with the metric system - in some areas anyhow. And I believe you mean "I do not know how heavy a kilogram is" ;)

 

 

 

That being said, yes it'll be a hard transition phase, but overall, it would be no different from converting one type of unit to another.

 

 

 

The only really hard thing I can see is volume measurments :-?

 

 

 

I often wonder if my math would improve if I knew the metric system. But, I was never taught the metric system in school.

 

 

 

And volume measurements.... :( #-o

 

 

 

EDIT: I didn't even know there was such thing as a kilogram... O.o

[Lionheart_0]

I dont understand... learning a new system is in no way like learning a new language. For languages, everything has the twin (IE, there is a way to say hi in english and another to say hi in french). But for a new measuring system, all you have to learn is how long one thing is, and relate it to the rest of the system.

 

 

 

And i dont see how a system based on 10's is really hard...

[Mr_Putter]

I mean what is up with water freezing at 32 degrees? And boiling at 212? Crazyness.

In a logical world, we'd be measuring temperature in Kelvin (absolute zero being at 0); which kind of makes sense. But the Celcuis scale tends to have a better feel to it.

Yea, Kelvin would be nice. You see on the weather channel that the temperature is 260, and they tell you to put on your parka.

[yomom1919]

I dont understand... learning a new system is in no way like learning a new language. For languages, everything has the twin (IE, there is a way to say hi in english and another to say hi in french). But for a new measuring system, all you have to learn is how long one thing is, and relate it to the rest of the system.

 

 

 

And i dont see how a system based on 10's is really hard...

 

 

 

but your not realizing the adaptation factor...

 

when you learn a language, it takes many, many years of using the language for you to actually speak and know, instead of speaking, translating, and then knowing. that is because you are used to another language system.

 

its not the difficulty of learning, its the fact that you will have to translate every measurment because you are already used to another system. it will take years, like a language, to speak and know how much a measurment relatively is.

 

why do you think learning your first language is easy?

[WutangFlu]

the metric system rocks yo' socks off...

 

 

 

 

 

i need to find my 10 galon hat.

[the_blob23]

The metric system is practical and useful. The Imperial system is clunky and worthless for any measure of international scientific collaboration.

 

 

 

The US, Myanmar and Liberia all need to bite the bullet and send the Imperial system into the dustbin of history. I am an American, and I am willfully ignorant of Imperial measurement, save for miles and other specific units. I couldn't tell you how many ounces are in a pound, or how many quarts are in a gallon, and I don't want to be able to. Give me volume and temperature measurements to me in metric, any day. The Imperial system has too many idiotic quirks, such as fathoms and British Thermal Units. Toss it.

[Uldric]

I'm from Australia and had to learn some basic imperial measurements just to get along in the world. It really wasn't hard. I guess it would be like learning boating measurements. Like how many knots in a kilometre/h etc.

 

 

 

One thing I don't get is why imperial is forced on everyone else. Planes use gallons in relation to fuel. Just this one problem has caused so many problems converting everything around.

 

 

 

Oh yeah, drive on the left side of the road. :lol:

[No_OnE]

It's pretty much the stupid Americans! Why cant they accept the fact that the way they do EVERYTHING is wrong? They even spell wrong. It's annoying when you have to do some chemistry or something, but its in American units, so you have to convert...the losers.

 

 

 

Uhh, yeah, if we aren't stupid. Show respect. Anyway, I'm fine with the imperial system (I guess that's what you call it... We call it the customary system...) I know it doesn't make sense at all but I wouldn't want to switch to the metric system. I wouldn't mind switching if I had grown up with the metric system but whatever... It is annoying in science how we have to use metric. I'm just starting to get used to it...

[Thaulsis]

What I don't get is why can't the metric system be introduced to the US gradually. While it is obvious you can't just decide one day that tomorrow everyone in America must know the metric system , why can't the slowly toss out the old.

 

 

 

Why not just teach BOTH the imperial system and metric system in school so future generations will know the system? Why can't they package new products that clearly show BOTH measurements. Perhaps whenever a new sign is needed have the speed limit in mph and km/h.

 

 

 

Then 50 years down the road slowly remove the Imperial system, that way most of the working force will already have knowledge of the metric system. And the ones that don't will be too old to care... :oops:

 

 

 

But then again, the government would have to be onboard for the long haul for this to happen...

[No_OnE]

What I don't get is why can't the metric system be introduced to the US gradually. While it is obvious you can't just decide one day that tomorrow everyone in America must know the metric system , why can't the slowly toss out the old.

 

 

 

Why not just teach BOTH the imperial system and metric system in school so future generations will know the system? Why can't they package new products that clearly show BOTH measurements. Perhaps whenever a new sign is needed have the speed limit in mph and km/h.

 

 

 

Then 50 years down the road slowly remove the Imperial system, that way most of the working force will already have knowledge of the metric system. And the ones that don't will be too old to care... :oops:

 

 

 

But then again, the government would have to be onboard for the long haul for this to happen...

 

 

 

In the school I go to, they do teach us the metric system. They don't teach in math, it's in science. Anyway, I don't exactly see why it's such a big deal. We use our way and you use yours. It isn't really necessary for the U.S. to know and use the metric system.

[runepaladn]

It's pretty much the stupid Americans! Why cant they accept the fact that the way they do EVERYTHING is wrong? They even spell wrong. It's annoying when you have to do some chemistry or something, but its in American units, so you have to convert...the losers.

 

 

 

silly british people..

 

 

 

the metric system sucks, i'm sorry it's a fact

 

 

 

GOD created the STANDARD SYSYEM

 

SATAN created the METRIC SYSTEM

 

 

 

and no i'm not jokeing.... :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:

 

 

 

or maybe i am? who knows? :shock:

[Purecheese]

I dont understand... learning a new system is in no way like learning a new language. For languages, everything has the twin (IE, there is a way to say hi in english and another to say hi in french). But for a new measuring system, all you have to learn is how long one thing is, and relate it to the rest of the system.

 

 

 

And i dont see how a system based on 10's is really hard...

 

 

 

but your not realizing the adaptation factor...

 

when you learn a language, it takes many, many years of using the language for you to actually speak and know, instead of speaking, translating, and then knowing. that is because you are used to another language system.

 

its not the difficulty of learning, its the fact that you will have to translate every measurment because you are already used to another system. it will take years, like a language, to speak and know how much a measurment relatively is.

 

why do you think learning your first language is easy?

What do you think that we europeans did when the euro was introduced? We translated everything back to our old currency for quite a few years. The only reason why most people have stopped calculating euros back to their old currency is that it makes you instantly depressed as everything has become so much more expensive.

 

We did get used to it though and I'm sure that americans can get used to a system as logical as the metric system. As for the costs, did you know that a marscar crashed on the surface of mars because the imperial to metric conversion was forgotten?

 

I'm sure you can afford one hell of a lot of signs for the money that that error cost.

 

 

 

GOD created the STANDARD SYSYEM

 

SATAN created the METRIC SYSTEM

The standard system (SI system) happens to include most of the metric system (except for temperature) and nothing of the american system :P

[Lionheart_0]

I dont understand... learning a new system is in no way like learning a new language. For languages, everything has the twin (IE, there is a way to say hi in english and another to say hi in french). But for a new measuring system, all you have to learn is how long one thing is, and relate it to the rest of the system.

 

 

 

And i dont see how a system based on 10's is really hard...

 

 

 

but your not realizing the adaptation factor...

 

when you learn a language, it takes many, many years of using the language for you to actually speak and know, instead of speaking, translating, and then knowing. that is because you are used to another language system.

 

its not the difficulty of learning, its the fact that you will have to translate every measurment because you are already used to another system. it will take years, like a language, to speak and know how much a measurment relatively is.

 

why do you think learning your first language is easy?

 

 

 

But your missing what im saying. Unlike a language where you relate everything back to your first language, the measurment system is where you just relate it to the first thing you learned.

 

 

 

 

 

IE. Lets represent 1 cm (centemeter) by this - . Ok we have established that 1cm is this long -> - . From now on, any other measurments needed use this length - .

 

 

 

1cm -

 

1m (meter) -X100

 

 

 

The only trouble people might find is using milimeters as the are smaller. but when using mm, people usaly have a ruler.

 

 

 

Edit: BTW, In our canadian education system, we are not forced to learn imperial, but through certain courses we still do, usaly tech and trade courses. I have learned the imperial system, and can to some point use it, but not very well. It would just mean that i would have to use it more often (ie. it was implimented as the standard system).

[Not]

IE. Lets represent 1 cm (centemeter) by this - . Ok we have established that 1cm is this long -> - . From now on, any other measurments needed use this length - .

 

 

 

1cm -

 

1m (meter) -X100

 

 

 

 

So when someone says "that city" is 12 km west of "this city", we are suppose to go "oh so its 1,200,000 cm to the west." Sorry but that is meaningless. Easier to conceptualize it as about 7 miles and not 1,200,000 cm.