I’d prefer to say “I rode my bike for 60 Kilometers today,” over “I
rode my bike for 37.2822 today… or even 38 to round it out. 60 at least sounds
like I did more! Okay, so what do I know of the metric system? By the way,
the metric system is now called the International
System of Units, or SI.
But back to what I know.
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| Love this. Makes more sense to me than the "stupid" image below..."wink wink, nudge nudge, know what I mean...?!" |
Really, I only know that it uses increments
of 10 instead of the haphazard “imperial system.” Haphazard I say, only because
it’s like learning a language, you have to memorize the imperial system to use
it. For us in the States, we use the imperial system because we’re used to it.
Our parents used it before us and so that’s what we learned.
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| One of only three countries who doesn't use the metric system. |
We’re one of only three countries worldwide,
and the only “industrialized country” that hasn’t mandated metrics as the basis
of measurement, much less use it regularly. I like the metric system. It’s easy
and once you’re used to it, easier and faster to calculate. And you don’t have
to memorize anything because it’s all 10s.
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| The American attitude toward the metric system? |
In Europe and most of the world, the metric
system is used because it’s universal and logical. It’s all in increments of
ten. But because we are used to the visual measurement and description of
inches and feet, it’s harder for us to visualize/imagine in the metric system. And is
it any wonder why? When you read a label on, say a jar of food, what does it
say the amount is? Which label do you find easier to understand?
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| 20 fl oz is easier to imagine, right? Than 591 milliliters! |
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| And yet, if I were familiar with metric this one would be the easier to relate to. |
In France everything is metric, so I learn something new
each time I go and I’m even beginning to “imagine” or judge distances, lengths,
measurements in cooking somewhat accurately when using metrics.
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| All in metric except for the serving size? Proves we can relate to what "one cup" is... |
Yet here in the States we do use it, as you can see on the Macaroni & Cheese label here. We are aware of the metric system and I think subconsciously we're getting acclimated to it...What do you
think of metrics? Do you think we should make it the “official” way of measuring
in the US of A?
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| Do you find this confusing?! |
Images from:
Hello, Lisa! Thanks for the blog visit.
ReplyDeleteWay to go on riding your bike for 60 kilometers! I used to ride a bike when I was in high school. Now, I prefer walking at parks more.
I vote yes, absolutely. I love to bake things and it is SOOOOOO much easier to weigh and measure accurately in grams and ml. In fact, I tend to convert everything and use my scale for dry ingredients. Even portion sizes on pkgs are usually given in grams and it's much easier. I'm already used to degrees Celsius for weather at work, so why not everything else too?
ReplyDeletejetgirlcos visiting via Forty, c'est Fantastique
I never got into using the metric system. To be honest, even though it's in segments of 10, I still don't get it. You did very well in riding 60 km. To use the imperial system, I can barely walk 1.5 miles without getting tired. I need to learn the metric system.
ReplyDeleteBeing from England, the metric system is all I know. It makes sense to me, but that's probably why!
ReplyDeleteWe're metric and have always been. Also, science is metric, fortunately, even in USA. That's simply because all the science journals require it. Feets and pounds are ok as such. But the imperial system becomes Hell when you want to put together a consistent system of length, time, temperature, energy, electric currents, and so on. The SI is basically designed for science >:)
ReplyDeleteCold As Heaven
I know next to nothing about the metric system except they tried to get us to learn it in school while -still- teaching the regular system of weights and measures. I doubt it will ever catch on, but who knows? :)
ReplyDeleteHey Lisa,
ReplyDeleteFirst of all thanks for the visit; Hmm, measurements puzzle me sometimes especially the American units which uses, cups, plates, stones, dresses etc hahahahahaha :)
an atozer at http://myeverydaypersonal.blogspot.be/