The real reasons the US refuses to go metric

In 1975, the US had their shot at going metric... but we blew it. Over 40 years later, we’re still entangled in mass confusion. In this video, we take a look at why our old system of measures has held out for so long, why Americans are so hesitant to make the switch, and most importantly, how metric might already be here to stay.

[VergeScience]

What will it take for the US to finally make the switch?

[Ed_Stuckey]

Of course the USA is going metric. We're just doing it inch by inch.

[AydinZahedi]

Let's take a moment and be thankful that the USA doesn't use a different system for time.

[basslinr]

As an engineer, when people use the argument that the imperial system "makes more sense" because "a foot is about the length of your foot" and "an inch is roughly the length of your thumb" this makes me scream... Words like "about" and "roughly" have absolutely no business being used when measuring anything.

[agnezabarutanski]

12 inches = one foot, 3 feet = 1 yard, 1760 yards = 1 mile
1km = 1000m, 1m = 100cm, 1cm = 10mm

Yeah, consistency is the key for keeping the US system. I'm not even starting with the units for mass.

[tosheee]

The rest of the world: “How tall are you?”
US: “I’m 5 feet 7”
The rest of the world: “Whose feet? Kareem Abdul Jabbar’s or Peter Dinkley’s?”

[MavenCree]

Drug dealers are on board too. You buy a gram, not an ounce.

[randomdude]

It's a science channel so the metric system makes most sense imo

[soyezql]

Even Nasa use Metric System for their missions...metric dominate the universe man.

[thebigsad]

My bedroom is 57 sticks and 11 pebbles squared

[TheRockerX]

"Imperial is consistent because a foot is the same size as a human foot."


wtf? I didn't know Americans all had the same size feet.

[meinsouza]

When I was visiting US, the whole "gallons" thing drove insane....it is completely absurd

[hristosdiafas]

Liberia in East Africa, Myanmar (former Burma) in Southeast Asia and the US in North America are the last three outposts of this planet still refusing to go metric.

[cashbonanza]

World: 1m=100cm.
USA: 1 foot=4 baby's feet.

[ThrashingBasskill]

Just use Km/h instead of burgers per freedom and you will almost be fine.

[cincin]

My mother asked what I weighed. I told her. She said "whats that in stones & pounds?" I looked in horror & asked "what on earth is a stone?" Bahahaha. A stone!

[krolikkrol]

I like when he said that HALF of his viewers are US - so they use imperial. So US half is more important that other HALF.

G R E A T

[maxpayne]

Half your audience is Metric, almost everyone on the planet uses metric, so you'll not use metric? Makes sense.

[IhsanNurhidayat]

“But, around half of our audience is American. So if we say somethin in centimeters or kilograms, it could trip up a lot of our viewers.”


Other half of your viewers: “Am I a joke to you?”

[adilzade]

I'm a woodworker, from Europe working in the US. For those who say the imperial system makes sense, I say 1' 11 5/8", 8' 2 23/32", 15/16"