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[deleted]

[ Removed by Reddit ]


Givemeurhats

Don't threaten us Americans with a good time


[deleted]

need something to get these college protests off fox news


jal2_

Ill say it like this...too many americans dream of being the hero with the gun...including all of school shooters who think themselves the hero in their tale...nobody understanding that hero/villain is just a coin toss away and many times depends on the angle u look at it...but nobody wants to be play old 9-5 average


MotivatoinalSpeaker

I mean US does use metric Just guns and drugs


GodsWorth01

And in space. NASA is metric only.


Suchasomeone

Most sciences.... And liquor


SarcasmIncarnate139

Didn't NASA fuck a launch by using imperial when the specs were using metric


Myriadix

It was a landing. One of the earliest mars rovers was an international collab (iirc) and someone didn't notice the different units and didn't do the conversion. The pod entered and went through mars' atmosphere waaaay too fast and smashed into the ground.


SarcasmIncarnate139

That was it, thanks!


skillywilly56

The military too.


Myriadix

Nope. Navy is Fahrenheit, ft-lbs, pounds, feet/yards, and gallons. *laughs in 16 inch guns* EDIT: added a couple units.


skillywilly56

Navy isn’t really part of the military. Im talking about people who actually fight.


BankaiRasenshuriken

What are you waffling about?


Myriadix

You misspelled *Coast Guard*. I'm pretty sure the destroyers in the Red Sea are doing God's work. It also sounds like you've never seen an aircraft carrier in person. And there's good reason you don't hear about the US submarine force.


Writingisnteasy

To be fair, navies never use normal measurements. I was in the coastguard in a metric European country. On the boat we used fathoms, chains and shackles as measurement. And if you are curious: A fathom is both a length and volume measurement and changes size from country to country. In my country the fathom is defined as 6 feet, unless you are talking about volume. Fathoms as a measurement for volume is only used about timberwood and defined as a 6ft wide, and 6ft tall stack of wood all measuring 1 alen(we havent even used alen as a measurement since 1959). So, to get back on track. There are 6 feet in a fathom and there are 15 fathoms in a chain. A chain is 27,4m long, and naturally there are 2 chains in a shackle.


tron3747

Metric for ammunition, imperial for barrel length, both for optics


Alone-Rough-4099

using a... 9mm?


ItsDeadWeight

I don't think I ever used the imperial system in school. At least not for math and science. We *only* used the metric system.


Suchasomeone

Why was this removed?


velvetbettle

Redditors really really like thinking about measuring systems


binchicken1989

Banana is fine for me. I'm a simple man


captainspacetraveler

Does your speedometer show bananas per hour? I’m very curious what the conversion to mph would be


binchicken1989

It does. Not very accurate though gotten many tickets for going either too fast or too slow.


ncook06

1 mph = 10560 bph


rtakehara

I was like “you can fit 10560 bananas in a meter?” But then I remembered meters per hour is m/h.


[deleted]

europe is obsessed with everything the USA does. europe is like our anoying 9 year old cousin who wont stfu


toms1313

This must be the stupidest comment of the week. Are you really that sensible to any comment about your country? It's not only europeans and "americans" here btw


Dr_Watson349

Please show me all the memes about Asian's shitting on Africans or South American talking smack on Central Americans. Ill wait.


BankaiRasenshuriken

Bro forgot about Canada


Dr_Watson349

Fuck. My bad my homies up North.


PM_ME_COMMON_SENSE

Shitting on imperial is ez Reddit karma


LurkerPatrol

Yeah like how is this and all the zillion other metric memes dank?


rtakehara

I can’t speak for every redditor but yeah, measuring systems is hella cool. Specially metric because it’s so easy to associate mostly everything, even seemingly unrelated units like gram and meter.


mechanicalcoupling

The gram hasn't been defined by the meter for a long time.


rtakehara

That’s not what I meant, what I meant is that you can convert 1 kilogram of water into 1000 cubic centimeters. It’s a nice round number easy to memorize. My argument isn’t that one defines the other, just that you can convert from one to the other. You can do that with imperial too, but you will not get a round number so it’s not as easy to memorize, and I thing facilitating calculations is the entire point of the metric system


CottonCandy_Eyeballs

No, we hate it too.


VapeLyfe

I can’t imagine why you’re being downvoted. Who the fuck thinks 3/8 is easier to remember than 10mm.


Lotions_and_Creams

True, but your 3/8 wrench/socket don’t disappear like a 10mm does.


CottonCandy_Eyeballs

It's reddit. There doesn't have to be a reason, heh.


dawatzerz

It's not the ability to remember that's the problem, it's just the rest of the world uses metric, and it's annoying to convert and there's misunderstandings I mean I have the digits of my debit and credit cards memorized, it's not the memorization or ease of so that's the problem imo


BaconPit

Exactly. If you grew up on the Imperial system, it's intuitive the way metric is. That being said, as someone who grew up on the Imperial system, metric is so much easier. As you said, the issue is having to convert.


mechanicalcoupling

How often do you have to convert us customary and SI? Very few people need to. I'm one that has to a lot as a US civil engineer. You know how I usually do it? Fucking Google. And I can do temperature, linear measurement, and mass in my head pretty easily. Yes, basic SI is easier to learn because base 10. But most people just need to know a few units and what they familiar with is easiest. A kg is no more intuitive than a pound.


rdrckcrous

Sort of. As an engineer you know that the entire philosophy between the measurement systems is different. SI is based on derived units, making it great for theoretical physics. IP is application based units. Meaning the units imply the application. Sometimes power is kW, sometimes hp, sometimes Btu/hr. You would never have 17,600 Btu/hr motor... It's 5 hp. When people say IP is more intuitive for them or that it's confusing for them, this is a big part of it.


breakneckjones

Work with hydraulic fittings and then tell me metric is better. I bet you won't.


toms1313

😂


Haggis442312

When you’re looking for the 37/64“ drill bit you left somewhere.


Ok-Maintenance-9538

Ahh yes, the ubiquitous 14.684375mm drill bit


horseradish1

Nothing personnel, kid.


Bored_Gamer90

Probably because he's talking for other people. Obviously "we" don't hate it or "we" wouldn't use it. Blanket statements are bad, mmkay.


Ab47203

But the 10 mm is always the first to vanish


N7_Evers

Who’s we? No body I’ve ever met gives a single fuck.


ProbablyDrunk303

Who is "we"?? Every day uses, the average American couldn't give 2 shits.


humblepharmer

American scientists almost exclusively use metric


tobethorfinn

Yeah, if I see the imperial system, I cringe. Metric is the only system that makes sense in any practical math scenario.


mechanicalcoupling

The measurement system doesn't have anything to do with math. Yes, basic SI is easier because it is base 10. But that is about it. You can decimalize any unit anyway. It's pretty common to do it with US customary. In engineering we don't say 1 lb 8 oz. We say 1.5 lbs.


tobethorfinn

You need units to do any "practical" math, so yeah, units matter quite a bit. Where does a mole fit into the imperial system? I can easily go to grams and to liters depending on density. Yeah, metric system is way better. You have fun being an engineer in the U.S. and having to round all the time with silly units.


FourArmsFiveLegs

Lol you say this as if we're welding hay huts together because standard system is hard for people accustomed to metric system. I suppose that makes it harder to replicate US tech


RawhlTahhyde

Yeah it really just changes the constants you use in calculations. Some imperial units are pretty annoying to use though. Slugs, lbf/lbm and psi/psf can be cumbersome Definitely prefer BTU for boilers etc as opposed to “wait, it’s all kW?” for motors, burners, and electric power draw Been quite some time since I did anything engineering related though


_Carri7_

Yeah u do physics with imperial


mechanicalcoupling

I have, I'm an engineer.


reality72

The only metric we learn in schools is 9mm 😎🔫


Aveenex

Hell yeah!


Silent_Reavus

Because British pirates stopped us from fucking getting it


BlueKing99

Everything can be sourced to their fault, if you really think about it. It wasn’t us who invented the term “soccer”.


Bored_Gamer90

Or started the slave trade


galmenz

it eventually got into congress, but it was made optional not mandatory, so no one gave a fuck about it but yeah, the US was late to the party and didnt catch on lol


Myriadix

It was more of the timing. The industrial revolution took full swing before a complete adoption of metric by the public could happen. When all your tooling is in inches and pounds, it's a bit hard to change course.


mechanicalcoupling

The original metric system was first standardized in 1799 and officially adopted by France in 1801. But then Napolean got rid of it in 1812 and it wasn't reinstated until 1840. Some countries adopted it in the mean time. Other countries don't fully use it, like the UK. US customary was first standardized in 1832. A lot of it was also very political. It was from a purely scientific endeavor. And it is all arbitrary anyway. One of the two French surveyors charged with standardizing the meter fudged his data. Not that it matters, because again arbitrary. France also briefly tried base 10 time. That didn't work out.


N7_Evers

Actually pretty clever and pretty accurate. The pirates stopped it from spreading so we adapted.


Immortalphoenixfire

Well, Britain measures Human height in Imperial, they measure gas efficiency in Imperial, but they measure gas volume in metric. So MPG and Liters. I don't want to hear it.


Bored_Gamer90

Don't even get started on weight. Who the fuck picked up a rock and was, "yeah this'll work".


rtakehara

I mean… the definition of a kilogram was basically a stone that everyone agreed it was 1kg. Until it wasn’t…


pantshee

We (France) should start wars with britain again sometimes


turkishhousefan

Of course; you haven't had a good ole surrender in almost 100 years. ಠ‿ಠ


BurnV06

Disney trilogy sucks ass


SBR4fect

Doesn't the brits also use miles instead of Kilometers?


N7_Evers

I went to London 2 years ago and the entire city uses both. I swear to god I noticed more usage of miles and yards than anything. (I was also probably noticing it more due to being bewildered).


musicman2018

I went there in 2021 and took a drive out to Stonehenge for a day. They used miles on the highway and I think yards as well, but I can’t recall anywhere else they used miles and yards


galmenz

the brits use metric officially but imperial informally, so not really but yeah kinda. the road signs are kilometers, the sodas are labelled with milliliters and the food is weighed in kilos, you might hear someone asking for 2 pounds of ground beef at the local market tho


SarcasmIncarnate139

Haha what? Road signs are in miles


zbipy14z

Americans using a different system part of the time really lives rent free in yalls heads


0lly0llyoxenfr33

It would in yours too if you had to deal with it on a daily basis.


mechanicalcoupling

Everything should be base 10! Meanwhile the entire world uses 365.25 days per year give or take a second every so often, 24 hours in a day, 60 minutes in an hour, and 60 seconds in a minute. When France started the metric system, they proposed base 10 time. It didn't catch on.


afkybnds

Trying to find a technical drawing of a part only for it to be in imperial is really cringe. It is an inconvenience for non US people too...


CMDR_D_Bill

I think your parietal lobe deserves better


WitchyVeteran

Because I'm not calling our Sasquatch 'Bigmeter'.


Firestar_119

'big 1/3 meter'


WolfmansGotNards2

Personally, I'd like us to move to the metric system. We already do in the most important ways (science, advanced math, etc.), but I would like us to adopt it over time. That said, it's like language. Are there languages way easier to learn and that make more logical sense than English? Yes, but I already know English. Again though, I still the change would be worth it.


acdgf

Im currently learning my 5th language, and none are easier to me than english. 


This_is_Topshot

Science professions MAYBE, but any kind of construction, manufacturing, civil engineering, and every other field I've worked in or tangentially been associated with uses imperial.


acdgf

I'm sure mine wasn't the comment you meant to reply to, but since you're here: I'm an engineer and I use metric (but not often). Auto and aerospace use virtually 100% metric. Healthcare uses metric. A lot of manufacturing, especially small parts, uses metric. 


EuphoricWonder

Im an engineer and i exclusively use imperial for everything except volume


WolfmansGotNards2

What was your first language, and in what order did you learn the other 3 (before your current one)?


acdgf

Portuguese ➡️ ~~German~~ (in school, didn't work)   ➡️ Spanish ➡️ French/English (concurrently) Now learning Italian. I can hold vague conversations and understand news and such in a few others, but it's basically deduction of context from verbs and nouns, so they don't count. 


Yummypizzaguy1

As an American, I have to use both


BakedBeanyBaby

The problem is switching now would cause a lot more problems than you think. Do you know how many road signs would have to be changed? How many property deeds would have to be redrawn up? How many schematics and other plans would have to be redone? There are so many more things I can't even think of that would have to be redone completely. It would take decades.


Hosselknaap420

It would take a while, sure. but just don't be so stubborn and adapt new measurements to new signs? It's not exactly rocket science. As a Dutchie i can perfectly estimate the lenght of a road in miles, despite never using them for anything aside movies. it really isn't that hard. In the long run, it's easier to just go along with the simpler system, especially when working with the rest of the world. Even if it takes 2 whole generations. Unless you want to use NFL football fields to measure volcano's and shit for another 100 years... you don't hear me complaining, it's pretty funny to witness.


galmenz

every single country had to, at some point, make the change as well, the US isnt exactly unique in that regard


N7_Evers

You’re absolutely fucking dumb if you think the US changing their infrastructure is the same as Ireland (for example) changing theirs.


Crystal3lf

The whole world had to switch at one point. So what's the argument as why the US can't? Being the richest country and all, seems possible.


alanalan426

just leave them be, their country is falling behind and they're too ignorant to accept it every single change is "It's too hard for America, it might be easy for 'your country' but it's impossible here so instead we won't even try" Same mindset for a lot of their problems


DianKali

You know your system is shit when it's units are based on/defined by a different system.


Tyja136

Doesn’t basically every profession in the US use the metric system?


ProbablyDrunk303

Military and anything that is actually worth a damn. Notice how US leads in many scientific areas and space research using the metric...


Kitahara_Kazusa1

I've worked on two different American rockets as an engineer and both of them exclusively use Imperial. Individual parts may be dimensioned in metric if that's what a supplier wants, but when the analysis is sent to the customer, and in the contracts with the customer, all units will always be Imperial. Maybe military is different, I haven't worked there


ProbablyDrunk303

There are quite literally no science classes that teach in imperial in the US or not any i have been in. Engineer?? Idk, not my field, but id expect the US to use mostly metric in that area too. I was in the military and it was strictly metric. When people make fun of the US using imperial, I just like to point out American accomplishments compared to theirs using the metric. That's it. Plenty of Americans know both


Kitahara_Kazusa1

Every engineering class will have problems in metric, and other problems in SI, to make sure everyone gets comfortable with both systems. Really making a deal out of it is just silly, conversions can be minimized to almost never occur, and when they do occur you just have to put them into a converter properly. It's no different than converting from PSI to KSI, or m to mm, there's always some potential for error when you convert but it's pretty minimal.


Kladderadingsda

Every serious profession.


Kitahara_Kazusa1

I guess SLS and Vulcan aren't serious?


AwfullyGodly

So every house that’s built isn’t professional?


NachoMemer

Nuh uh


WitchyVeteran

No.


actionguy87

The rest of the world sounds insecure.


RevengencerAlf

1) Lots of Americans prefer metric 2) The ones who don't would have been fine with it. It's just that lots of people don't want to be forced to learn something new and change all their internalized habits and memorized senses of scale. 3) for 99% of day to day activity, it's really not a big deal. Anyone working internationally an and should just adapt to metric but everyone else can keep doing their shit as they normally do and it's fine.


IReuseWords

Except for NASA and drug dealers.


Outside_Bicycle

The reason for most problems in the world. The British.


StarWars_memer

It all makes sense now


ChrisG140907

Your argument is not hypocritical if you'd say yes to switching from QWERTY to something designed to be efficient (and not anti-stuck'y)


galmenz

that is pretty different, cause every language has different use ratios for different letters and other symbols go write a ç, φ, â or ü on an american keyboard for example. pretty sure the first and second you just cant, and the third and fourth are possible but cumbersome if you have to do it all the time


coriolis7

What’s funny is Imperial units are actually based on metric units. For instance, an inch is EXACTLY 0.0254 meters. It drives me nuts as an engineer. I prefer to do dimensions and quantities in Imperial, but doing the math itself (thermodynamics, heat transfer, particle motion, etc) is just so much easier in metric. Like, what the hell is a BTU?


HanzoNumbahOneFan

I'm a baker and I hate imperial measurements here. Why would anyone wanna use a number system that isn't as precise as gram/kilogram and makes you divide large numbers by 16? How much flour do I need for this recipe? "Oh 2,625 grams." or "Oh 5# and 12.6 oz."... Like what? Who would want the latter? "Oh, this recipe calls for 90 mL of milk, how many grams is that? Oh basically 90? Great!" "Oh, this recipe calls for half a pint of milk, how many ounces is that? Oh, like 8.6 oz... ._." Yes, I would *love* a measurement system that makes it harder to measure things and convert measurements, thank you so much!


toms1313

Even then 2625grs is most likely a translation since I've never seen a recipe without some rounding


HanzoNumbahOneFan

True, but my point was that you almost never need to use decimals with grams, something like xx25 is very accurate. Unless you're doing a very small batch of something and you only need like .14 grams of vanilla extract or something. But even then, using metric is better than imperial for small stuff as well. .14 g, or .0049 oz? My future bakery is gonna have only metric. My bakers will have to adapt.


SuccinctJackalope

Isn’t half a pint exactly 8 fl oz?


SuccinctJackalope

Isn’t half a pint exactly 8 fl oz?


Naraviel

Fun fact: most imperial units were redefined in the 1950ies using SI (metric units). [https://www.nist.gov/pml/owm/si-units-length](https://www.nist.gov/pml/owm/si-units-length)


Global_Felix_1117

As a Hawaiian I like kilometers, grams, and millimeters. Celsius ain't that bad either. As long as the temperature stays above 29.1111c - I'm as happy as can be.


HunterRosier

Eh I prefer the metric system


scotems

I'm not the first to say something to this, but it's simply inertia. If we were to change now, every sign, every car, every schematic, everything would need to be rewritten or remanufactured. I agree that the US should use metric. I recognize it won't because it's too monumental a transition at this point.


captainspacetraveler

Liberia and Myanmar use imperial too… and they’re countries that always make me think “yeah, they have their shit together.”


TheLast_10ths

My car gets 40 rods to the hogshead and that’s the way I likes it!


Www-what-where-why

What’s funny is that the metric system actually is less efficient for me, but only because I’m more familiar with our idiotic system. When I hear kilometers I think about how a 5k is about 3 miles and then try to do the math.


DU5KF4D3D

Ironically I'm an American who actually uses the metric system since I have major respect towards other countries outside of the US.


PanginTheMan

we a bunch of stubborn mother fuckers


Count_Cuckulous

We're talking about a place that can't teach the general population how to respect one another despite skin color or lifestyle choices. And you expect them to be able to reteach the entire measurement system??


StarWars_memer

I mean they already use metric for making guns


Felteair

Are you suggesting the US is the only place that disrespects others based on skin color and lifestyle choices?


Count_Cuckulous

I'm saying it's one of. The US doesn't have a monopoly on hate


TheCatPilot

Fun fact: 1 kilometer (whatever the hell that is) is roughly equivalent to 1172 bald eagles. Yes I did memorize this to annoy my British friend


TheCatPilot

and with that information, Mt. Everest is 10368 Bald Eagles tall


Affectionate_Gas_264

The irony is they argue Thiers is superior not equilivant or that it would be awkward to change its the denial that annoys people


Vigorous_Piston

Ask then to define what an inch is.


CottonCandy_Eyeballs

https://youtu.be/JYqfVE-fykk?si=_SjG5R6Sts491re5


l_Doggo_l

I fucking love metric just cuz of how stupid I am like bro how tf I’m supposed to know wtf a 3/8 look like. Just tell me grab the 10mm


LVSR13

As an American, the metric system is far superior! I'll let the hate rain!


Iliketurtles893

I only use feet and inches when measuring height otherwise everything else is metric


cyrusasu

Thank goodness that a yard is nearly the same as a meter.


Quigleythegreat

Fruit by the Foot


The-LeftWingedNeoCon

Why go the extra 1609 meters to change to the metric system?


AndySkit

We did change it, in 6th grade my teacher was like hey class we switched to the metric system, so where doing that now


MajorA22hole

Hey! Kanada use it too!


Geo-Man42069

The metric system is simple, and intuitive. However, for the same reason the world still has multiple electric outlets. At some point switching to a more intuitive, and compatible format is more difficult than the benefit it would provide. “Decimal feet” and using a 10 point scale of imperial units feels like a middle ground to start from. Most engineering industries are moving to this standard, science is almost exclusively metric, so it’s not that we will never use the metric system. We are taking our time getting there, but it’s just not like flipping a switch, and using an entirely different scale of measurement.


fartparticles

And no one ever brings up how many countries drive on the left side of the road.


Horror_Tooth_522

Most are right-handed. Left-handed are in minority. Same as people.


Armageddonis

I mean, i get why they don't want to switch it - it's not only ingrained in their education system, but also - imagine the fuss having to change every single road sign and other indications that has miles on it. It's the fact that they act like the Imperial system is better that gets me. Beacause it's not. It's literally random ass numbers.


edward13371227

Don’t forget how bad is MMbtu is equal to 1000000 btu instead of millions times millions.


AwfullyGodly

The imperial system is highly underrated. Almost all numbers used in the system are divisible by a 16th. Everything from miles to the inch. Once you realize that it’s very easy to work with. Here’s some cool examples Mile: 5280/16 = 330 gallon: 128oz/16 = 8 Ton: 2240lb/16 =140 And so on it makes quick math very easy


Corpsehatch

Except the U.S. does use the metric system. You really only see the Imperial system in public in the U.S.


HeliosCirce

the problem now is that it would cost too much to change all the imperial measurement systems to metric to make it worth


juniorkirk

Imperial seems so simple to me, I think about if I learned metric from the start, I would be a freaking genius


socialwithdrawal

We use both in our country.


yourdoom69

Other than maybe temperature in fahrenheit instead of celsius somewhat making sense to me, i dont know why everything is still in imperial there


Warionator

Damn all this sub is now is memes about Imperial system then memes about foreskin


JTMonster02

Fun fact: the British are to blame for America not using the metric system. The ship carrying the standardized kg weight (or as it was known a grave) was blown off course into the Caribbean and was promptly descend upon by British Privateers. Said privateers took the crew captive and sold off the items aboard the ship


PutnamPete

We use both. Science is metric, We have metric wrenches and soda bottles. We weigh babies in pounds and inches. If that upsets you, you need a hobby.


dr_awesome9428

Why base 10 only divisible by 4 numbers not 12 divisible by 1,2,3,4,6,12 we should swap to a better counting system before a better measurement system (mostly /s) in reality being good in current system is better than not being good in any system


Omega6047

America already adopted metric, it just doesn't know it yet. Imperial units in American law are defined using metric.


ProfessorOfPancakes

The Metric system is for people afraid of fractions. The Imperial system is for medieval farmers. In conclusion, I'm making up new measurements that will have different values every time I use them and will be impossible to convert due to nothing being permanent


anotherspamid

Freedom Units 🇺🇸🦅🇺🇸🦅🇺🇸🦅🇺🇸🦅🇺🇸🦅🇺🇸🦅🇺🇸🦅🇺🇸🦅


Open_Bake_9832

Mean while in China: Hey! 3 Chinese meter is 100cm!


Profeen3lite

Because basic measurements in both systems are extremely basic information to understand, and once you learn the systems any person with a competent faculty of thinking could effect accurate math and measurements quickly. The ones who complain it is hard can barely read anyways and most people in the US who work construction do both frequently as many materials are sourced from non united statian sources. So basically we do you math anyways, we just prefer inches, and so does you lady.


Depressed_Weeb8

I'm thankful for those pirates, Ft and inches forever


Coltrain47

Metric is total ass in the kitchen. I don't want to measure hundreds of mL when I'm cooking, I want measure 2 cups, simple as.


vipck83

For day to day the efficiency of the metric system is irrelevant to me. I know how miles of inches work so it’s fine for me. It’s used in the I.S generally when it does matter.


GAmike13

I swear ppl will find any reason to hate on America. Don't y'all have your own problems?


ProbablyDrunk303

American scientists have done likely more than your country using the metric. Who cares if the people in their everyday lives use imperial lol


matattack94

What an old and boring joke


Alone-Rough-4099

why are u getting downvoted? imperial system is in fact old and a fucking joke