this post was submitted on 30 Jan 2026

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Why do people who try to convince others to switch to metric focus so much on the conversions? (herbicide.fallcounty.omg.lol)

submitted 2 days ago* (last edited 1 day ago) by klymilark@herbicide.fallcounty.omg.lol to c/asklemmy@lemmy.world

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It seems like a weird point to bring up. How often do y'all convert your measurements? It's not even a daily thing. If I'm measuring something, I either do it in inches, or feet, rarely yards. I've never once had to convert feet into miles, and I can't imagine I'm unique in this. When I have needed to, it's usually converting down (I.e. 1/3 of a foot), which imperial does handle better in more cases.

Like. I don't care if we switch, I do mostly use metric personally, it just seems like a weird point to be the most common pro-metric argument when it's also the one I'm least convinced by due to how metric is based off of base 10 numbering, which has so many problems with it.

Edit: After reading/responding a lot in the comments, it does seem like there's a fundamental difference in how distance is viewed in metric/imperial countries. I can't quite put my finger on how, but it seems the difference is bigger than 1 mile = 1.6km

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[–] CanadaPlus@lemmy.sdf.org 8 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

Besides the popularity, decimal conversions are the only factor, really. Otherwise they're both arbitrary.

it does seem like there’s a fundamental difference in how distance is viewed in metric/imperial countries

I'd like to point out that it's literally just Liberia, Myanmar and the US. I have no idea what the difference could be, since it's a concept that predates any system of measure and is biologically hardwired into us.

[–] klymilark@herbicide.fallcounty.omg.lol 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I'd like to point out that it's literally just Liberia, Myanmar and the US.

As other people have pointed out, the UK, and Canada also use Imperial, just not officially, and it's in a lot of different contexts. Canada had 6' signs in most shops at the start of COVID, while government buildings all had 2 meters, as an example.

I have no idea what the difference could be, since it's a concept that predates any system of measure and is biologically hardwired into us.

Not totally sure, either, but it does seem like there is one. There's the funny haha one of Americans thinking driving 200 miles (~300km) is a day trip, but that's not what it's been feeling like. Can't quite put my finger on it, but it's like the whole thing where once you learn what eggshell looks like in comparison to off-white you will always see the difference, where before you really didn't.

[–] CanadaPlus@lemmy.sdf.org 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Canada uses imperial in certain context unofficially. Feet and inches for a person's height, or a cut of wood. You won't see miles or gallons anywhere, though. The UK is even weirder - they use "stone" for a person's weight, which is a customary unit in no complete system of measurements.

[–] klymilark@herbicide.fallcounty.omg.lol 1 points 1 day ago

From the wikipedia article:

The plural stone is often used when providing a weight (e.g. "this sack weighs 8 stone").[34] A person's weight is usually quoted in stone and pounds in English-speaking countries that use the avoirdupois system, with the exception of the United States and Canada, where it is usually quoted in pounds.

Which I checked for fun. I love how they say that like therr are more than 4 countries fitting that description. 2 of them use stone, 2 don't, at least I think. Can't find anything official on whether Liberia uses it or not, but I've heard UK people say it.

Just the fact that they say it like it's not a 50/50 split xD