This is kind of like how the upside to walking around outside barefoot is that it gives you calluses and makes it easier for you to walk around outside barefoot. Most (in my experience, all) American kids know the metric system. If the U.S. system is silly and unnecessary like walking around outside barefoot, you could just quit walking around outside barefoot and eliminate the need to walk around outside barefoot to make walking around outside barefoot easier. The only upside to knowing it is the simple fact that you know it, there's no actual upside.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

You're right that it would be easier and better not to use it at all, but the simple fact is that the U.S. does and it's very unlikely that we will change it because we'd have to spend extreme amounts of money on updating highways, etc. The point of this post though it that the U.S. *does* use it and most other countries *don't*, so U.S. students have more of an advantage being able to understand both. If a European student came to the U.S., they'd have a much harder time. I like your analogy of the bare feet, but sometimes you don't have shoes and have no choice to walk barefoot. Just an advantage to be able to do both!

by Anonymous 11 years ago

That's true.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

I think it's absolutely ridiculous that we haven't switched to the metric system.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Yeah, you'd think so, but no. "I weigh 50 kilos" "Lolwut? Sorry I don't understand European"

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Oh, really? We use them pretty often in my school (a US public school) so maybe it's just my state.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

The metric system is taught starting in middle school, you're required to know it unless you want to fail every science and math class from 6th grade on.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

If Americans used the metric system there would be no need to know both because there would be almost no one else who uses it

by Anonymous 11 years ago

I agree with you 100%, but since America probably not going to change, in this situation it's easier to know both.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Sure I can use both. American measurements are just kind of what I grew up with and metric is easy but it's the converting American to metric that's hard for me to remember.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Despite what certain media outlets would have you believe, many young brits are in fact well versed in the Imperial system as wel las the metric system. We learn metric at school, and many things are in metric, but so much remains in Imperial, pints at the pub, height and weight are ALWAYS talked about in imperial. We talk about gas-mileage in terms of MILES to the GALLON (and yet the price of gas in pounds per liter, hahaha). US hostility to the metric system is unfounded, since it's clearly the most logical and simple to master. I believe it's more a sense of nostalgia that keeps these old systems alive. I like the balance achieved in the UK

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Canadians know both as well. We deal with the metric system in everything but weight and height.

by Anonymous 11 years ago