• Jo Miran@lemmy.ml
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    2
    ·
    5 months ago

    While we are at it, let’s all (as in the entire planet) switch to 24hour UTC and the YYYY.MM.DD date format.

  • Kalcifer@sh.itjust.works
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    0
    ·
    5 months ago

    I’ll preface this by saying that this isn’t an argument in favor of the imperial system, nor is it an argument intending to detract from the usefulness of the metric system. But I have wondered if there is some merit to having a simple, colloquial, “human friendly” system of measurement — something that’s shown to be the best system for people to grok, and is the most convenient to use in day-to-day life. If you need precision, and well defined standards, then certainly use the metric system, but is the metric system easy for people to grok? Say you ask someone to estimate a length. Would they be more likely to accurately estimate the length using the metric system, the imperial system, or some other system? Likewise for telling someone a length and asking them to physically reproduce it. Would they be more likely to do so with the metric system, the imperial system, or some other? It’s an interesting problem, imo, and it doesn’t seem to get much attention.

    It could very well be that people can, indeed, grok measurements the best when using the metric system, but I currently am unaware of any research that has been done to show that. If anyone is aware of any research that has looked into this, then please let me know! I’d be very interested to read it.

    • amelore@slrpnk.net
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      5 months ago

      That’s a feature supporters of imperial thinks it has. Even if imperial/some special third option is better for guessing, the difference has to be big enough that it’s worth the hassle of having multiple systems or converting everyone again. If it’s not worth having two systems but it is worth converting everything , then you still have to keep or prove that it’s worth losing the conveniences of metric like 1 km = 1000 m , 1 L of water weighing 1 kg , water freezing and boiling at 0 and 100 °C

  • FordBeeblebrox@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    0
    ·
    5 months ago

    Metric yes please. Also for fucks sake use the 24 hour clock. Some of us learned it from the military but it’s just earth time and way easier than adding letters to a number

  • Zorque@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    0
    ·
    5 months ago

    You could always use the metric system, that was always allowed. Most food (I’ve seen) has both imperial and metric measurements. Most digital measuring devices and lots of analog ones will have options for both. Speedometers generally have both.

    Really, the only one stopping you from using the metric system in your daily life is you. Unless of course you’re saying you want other people to use it. Which is a distinctly different proposition.