How Pirates Thwarted America’s Plan to Go Metric

https://lemmy.world/post/1335792

How Pirates Thwarted America’s Plan to Go Metric - LemmyWorld

In the late 1700s, Thomas Jefferson wanted the United States to adopt a unified system of measurement and saw the metric system as the best solution. However, a pirate attack in the Caribbean disrupted these plans. Joseph Dombey, a French scientist carrying a kilogram and meter stick to demonstrate the metric system, was captured by pirates. By the time France sent another scientist to explain the system to the Americans, Jefferson was no longer in office, and plans to go metric were disregarded.

That is good content! Off to google I went to explore the rabbit hole

And here’s a good read! time.com/3633514/why-wont-america-go-metric/

Why Won’t America Go Metric?

Our centuries-long ambivalence about meters and liters mirrors our ambivalence about our place in the world

Time

I always find it funny to read about how much it’s the public who wants America to be a “leader” and not a “follower” and keep resisting the change. Meanwhile metric is in widespread use across the country. Most science and medicine is done in metric. NASA and the US Military are metric. Most soldiers knows how long a “klick” is, which is literally just slang for kilometer. Every car mechanic can show you exactly how much a centimeter is, since the 10mm wrench/socket size is burned into their memory.

And because of the global trade market, pretty anything that is also meant for export is manufactured in metric.

Not to mention that when it comes to conversion it’s so much easier that US students are in some cases taught to convert to metric, apply that formula and then convert back(like calculating work) since it’s so much faster and easier.

As an Americanadian, I couldn’t have summed this up better!
I completely agree. It’s hilarious!!!

NASA still almost lost the Mars Climate Orbiter in '98- they used metric, and Lockheed used US customary. Probably put it on approach too close to mars, and uh, it "encountered" the planet....

NASA has the best euphemisms.

One thing I find humourous is the term ‘US Customary’ - I’ve only come across it recently; to most of the world they’re Imperial units, which is ironic given the nature of how the USA came about.
I think it’s funny that they have to have a converter button on every medical scale in this country so that patients can find out what their weight is in pounds.
To be fair, the 10mm socket is burned into their memory because they keep fucking disappearing.
They’re afraid of the 17/2 inch socket