What has the Imperial/Fahrenheit system better than metric? Even the Brits who invented it has abandoned it, except for scientific purposes, Why the Americans insist on it?
2006-08-07 15:28:11 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
Because *nobody* can compete with us Americans in terms of sheer stubborness and intransigence. One of the problems is that there was never a decision to undergo a systematic conversion over a period of years as occurred in European countries. We should be a little embarassed that the European countries were able to undergo a period of transition, but handled it just fine, while we are using a system where very few people can tell how many yards are in a mile, or how many cups are in a gallon. It is embarassing.
However, scientists, and military do work in metric.
Incidentally, the U.S. is one of the first countries to use a decimalized currency.
Under souce below, I list a great wiki article on metrification in the U.S.
2006-08-07 18:25:23 · answer #1 · answered by secretsauce 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's a plot to keep the American citizens at home in the USA instead of traveling to Canada where the average summer temperature only reaches 35 degrees.
Seriously though. The idea is that by keeping an awkward system of measurement you will encourage people to develop good mathematical skills. The English, even the most poorly educated, used to be phenomenal mathematicians because their lives were based around a measuring system that used pounds, feet, and inches, and their money was pounds, shillings, pence, all of which they would add and subtract in their heads.
Hey, it's +28 and the airconditioner just quit. Think I'll jump in the pool.
2006-08-07 23:06:32 · answer #2 · answered by Aurthor D 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The initial confusion of the change would die-out within a couple of generations.
What I find most confusing is how America is viewed by the rest of the world as an arrogant bully, and yet, internally, they have such an inferiority complex that simple things - like changing measurment systems to something more uniform - is seen as such a 'weakness'; 'giving in' to world pressure...
Industries in other countires have parallel tooling systems: Metric & Imperial sizes. I would have thought this is a great manufacturing incentive for businesses - suddenly, to buy a "complete" spanner set, you need to get twice as many spanners. Surely this would do the economy good?
Either way, everyone will be buying from China in years to come...
[Sciencenut: Can you cite reference to your claim about decapitation? I don't believe you.]
2006-08-07 23:02:52 · answer #3 · answered by pressman 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Good question. Our money is Metric in a way. 100 cents making a dollar, it's not as if we can't figure out how to count by tens.
I think that it has something to do with our education system. My children know all about AIDS and diversity, but little about the Metric system. While disease and culture are important to be sure, the measuring system of science should not be equally as important.
2006-08-07 22:37:13 · answer #4 · answered by Bernard B 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
In a nutshell, the reason we don't convert is because we are a democracy and we believe in freedom. When the Metric system was first invented in France, the king of France was so impressed with it that he decreed that after a certain date, anyone caught using the old system would have their head cut off. I don't think such an edict would ever pass the US congress. Winston Churchill said it best: "Democracy is a very bad form of government. (It's just that all the alternatives are so much worse)" By the way, how would you recommend getting us to switch? Constructive suggestions would be welcome.
2006-08-07 22:57:28 · answer #5 · answered by Sciencenut 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Apart from the conversion cost - there is a point here: to reinforce the idea to the public that things come from us to Europe, not from Europe to the US, EVEN if they are better. The self-pride of your population is a bigger value than the advantages of the metric system.
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2006-08-07 22:35:22 · answer #6 · answered by hallitubevolunteer1 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Money is the reason.
But to the idiots talking about pride. It should be pointed out that the majority of scientists use metric even within the united states.
Metric makes sense and is reproducable. Imperical is very arbitrary and is not reproducable.
2006-08-07 23:32:31 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Americans don't like to change things. We are stubborn idiots so we still use Imperial measurements.
The US Mint has tried to get Americans to use one dollar coins instead of paper one dollars, but that doesn't seem to be working, either.
Oh well.
2006-08-07 23:06:09 · answer #8 · answered by barefootboy 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
All our factories would have to retool, personnel would have to be retrained, signs changed and all our standards rewritten. The government wastes more than enough money now, imagine them trying to fix this. In my opinion the decision to not change was a good one. Just because the rest of the world does it, doesn't mean we have to.
2006-08-07 22:40:11 · answer #9 · answered by Albert F 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They are used to it, now if they change, there will be so many confusions. We will need to change all the measurement to metric.
2006-08-07 22:36:07 · answer #10 · answered by 2feEThigh 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋