Worst Roman Legacy To America

[Arvioustus]

We are still locked in the Roman units of measurement here: feet,yards, etc. The metric system is so much more intelligent.

[Neos Dionysos]

Our feet, miles, etc, is actually more precise than those used by Rome and besides, why should we convert? The military, NASA, many governmental and industrial factors already use it. I do not see the need in common day use like how much you bought in milk or meat etc. That is not needed... for construction purposes we already use it.

[FLavius Valerius Constantinus]

Well I wouldn't consider it the worse Roman legacy. Like really, as if every American even gave a care about the metric system except for the scientists whose works require them to. Otherwise,lets keep simple.

Edited January 17, 2006 by FLavius Valerius Constantinus

[M. Porcius Cato]

It's a trade-off. If you want easily subdivided measures of human-sized quantities, choose measures like feet, which can be easily divided by 2, 3, 4, and 6. If you want measures that scale up and down by large factors, choose ones like meters, that go up and down by factors of ten.

 

In the sciences, metric is indispensible. For building a box out of wood, the Roman system works better.

[Germanicus]

Being a metric user, it's a matter of what you're used to. I don't think one system is better. Metric seems simpler to me because I've used it all my life, it's second nature. The other system is better for the Americans for the same reason. We don't have any trouble building wooden boxes using metric.

[Pertinax]

I was taught Imperial but use metric for measuring small quantities of fluid and solids. I can only conceive of anything, (ideas of distance and landholding) in Imperial terms if it is being described in some abstract way.Although ive used metric for years its somewhat like speaking a foreign language reasonably well without knowing any colloquial meanings-lifeless.

[Ursus]

The problem is many of America's trading partners, like the EU, are starting to accept commodities measured only in metric. And when foreign tourists visit America they have trouble converting metric to imperial. Keeping us on the imperial system isolates us from the world economy.

 

BTW, Arvioustus, I don't want to seem like I keep moving your threads -- but when the conversation starts to blend from Ancient Rome to Modern America, we tend to move topics to the "Afterhours" forum. I will let the topic here for now, but the second someone uses this thread as a poor excuse to criticize American foreign policy or American domestic policy, off it goes.

[Lost_Warrior]

It seems to me they tried to convert America to metric but it just didn't work. You see it on some products, like bottles of soda for example are measured in litres (a two litre bottle of soda, or one litre. measurements are given in ounces also on the bottle).

 

The reason they had trouble converting is that we are used to the system. We don't realize, how much we use it, but when something is 20 miles away we have a rough idea of where that is, how long it will take to get there, etc. If its 20 kilometers we have no clue. Switching systems would mean re-learning a thought pattern that has been ingrained in us since birth...and really most don't think it's worth it. Same with temp. scale. If its 70 degrees Fahrenheit we have a rough idea of what it's going to feel like outside, what sort of clothes to wear, etc. If its 70 degrees Centegrade, we have no idea...and so it becomes trial and error basically relearning all of those things.

[Primus Pilus]

If its 70 degrees Centegrade, we have no idea...and so it becomes trial and error basically relearning all of those things.

 

I use the 'imperial' system, but I know if its 70 cent. then I'm staying inside

[Pantagathus]

The reason America doesn't convert is not because we are stubborn, unilateral or because we're too dumb to learn metric, it's because of the incredible expense to change our infrastructure. Image the cost of changing all road signs, gas pumps, etc... in a country as large as the United States.

 

It's a double edged sword, we loose a lot in international transactions but we would loose a lot more all at once to change.

Edited January 17, 2006 by Pantagathus

[Viggen]

metric imperial confused?

 

Google is your friend;

70 celsius in fahrenheit

1 liter in ounces

20 miles in km etc...

[Sextus Roscius]

I'd have to say over indulgance. General culture of the average american is full of things that are simlpy abused rights and excessive amounts. I don't wish to go into it any furthur, any questions about my opinion I won't answer here.

[longbow]

In Britain we have the curios habit of saying the weather temp in both systems,if its hot we use Fahrenheit and when its cold we use Celsius,weird huh.

Regarding the Metric system,i was brought up to do everything in Metric but the older people will only deal in Imperial.There's a fruit n veg shop in Sunderland which has been taken to the European court for selling his goods in pounds and ounces instead of Kilo's.

After the ECHR refused to hear the case of the five "metric martyrs", convicted in Britain on criminal charges of selling goods in pounds and ounces, the original "martyr" Steve Thoburn, a Sunderland greengrocer, whose crime was to sell "a pound of bananas", defiantly stated: "I object so strongly to this interference in the way I serve my customers just because of a law passed in another country by people we did not elect that I shall continue to sell in pounds and ounces if my customers want it. If I am prosecuted again, I will not pay any fine and they can put me in prison.

Article.

Edited January 18, 2006 by longbow

[Tobias]

Yeah, it's the same here. I've been brought up in the metric system, so to me using centimetres, metres, kilometres, litres, kilograms etc is just second nature. But my parents, grandparents etc all are still in Imperial. One of my relatives has hardly spent any money since 1966 (When decimal currency was introduced in Australia) because she doesn't understand the Dollar as opposed to the Pound. It's all relative - the old world refuses to die

Although i live in a predominately Metric (officially) country, i hardly think that the Romans can be beaten up for keeping America to feet, yards etc.

[Princeps]

The metric system is patently more logical and far easier. The Imperial system is archaic and, quite frankly, a total relic. Unless you measure things in "hands" , "leagues", "Furlongs", "Wigwams", or anything else, you should stop using Imperial.

 

M porcius cato - I don't understand your reasoning there. Divisions of 2, 3, 4, and 6 are just as easy, if not easier, in metric. Thats the whole point of the metric system, the standardisation.

 

There is one, and only one advantage to imperial (imo), and that's phonetics (six-in-ches is better than ten-cen-ti-met-res).

 

I really hate Imperial measurements.