An Appeal to Metric

America, I have one question for you: Where have you been since the late 20th century?

Perhaps, I shouldn't have named this "An Appeal to Metric", but rather "Why customary?" What I'm struggling to understand is why halfway through the 20th century, most countries would decide "screw metrics, customary is the way to go" even though the metric system functioned perfectly well for over a century. What I'm struggling to understand even more is why, when everyone decided "customary was a mistake, we're going back to metrics", America remained customary.

Ignore, my prior regrets as to the name of this post - this is where the appeal comes in. First off, it makes interaction unnecessarily complicated. If we converted to the metric system, not only would international businesses benefit from ease of commerce, but there would be no need to bother with those cumbersome conversions from metres to feet or litres to gallons, and vice versa. All the units would be universal, which in turn would allow for quicker, more efficient trade.

Furthermore, the metric system is set up in such a "user-friendly" manner, for lack of a better term. The metric system, unlike the customary system, has a central measurement on which all other units of measurement of the same type (length, volume, weight, etc.) are based. For example, the unit of measurement for length, the metre, has variations such as the centimetre for smaller measurements and the kilometre for large distances (one-hundredth of a metre and 1,000 metres, respectively). Similarly, the litre functions as a measurement of volume with millimetres and kilolitres as smaller and larger units (one-thousandth of a litre and 1,000 litres, respectively).

Now, take the customary system. Let's start with length, what is the basic unit of measurement for length? A foot? An inch? A freaking football field? Who knows? Also, the division of them is overly complicated. The mile is divided into 1760 yards, a yard is divided into 3 feet, a foot is divided into 12 inches. A kilometres, however, is 1,000 metres, one metre is 100 centimetres, and so on.

Granted the United Kingdom measures speed in miles per hour, but it shouldn't be hard for them to adjust to kilometres per hour, as they use it for distance there.

Perhaps you may be thinking "But Kenny, the switch will result in disaster! Nobody will understand the new units? And how will all of our products in stores become measured in terms of the metric system?!"

To answer your first question, students are already taught in school the metric system under the alias "SI units" or "International System of Units". The problem is that American students are told that this is a supplementary system of measuring only used for scientific experiments. All we have to do is teach students this system as the only system, thus rendering the customary system obsolete. Besides, the measurement of an inch is already in terms of a metric measurement: the inch is defined as 39.79 inches=1 metre, according to the Mendenhall Order of 1893.

To answer your second question, keep the same sizes, just convert their customary system measurements to metric system measurements. For example, change the label on a pound of steak from one pound to 0.45 kilograms. Or just ask a metric country what they measure their products in and follow suit. Not too difficult.

If you, like me, have been wondering why America hasn't converted to the metric system (yet), I have a theory:
"America is the best country in the world, and therefore we should have our own system of measurement that other countries don't use."

-This theory can't be true; America picked up the English system from Great Britain before the imperial system was standardised in 1824. Though the English system and American system aren't the same, they are very close and the units vary only slightly.

-This theory could be true: Americans are stubborn and prideful.


I propose America switches over to the metric system as soon as possible, or at least show signs of changing by the end of 2011. Also, we should get Liberia and Burma on board for metrication as well. We're all stuck in the same imperial bubble. In summation, the global metrication of the world would be most convenient and pragmatic

Plus, I really want to be able to say when I'm older "I remember when they sold milk by the gallon."