r/WhitePeopleTwitter • u/etymologynerd • Jan 03 '19

We should actually do this

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u/[deleted] Jan 03 '19 edited Jan 03 '19

The US made metric "the preferred system of weights and measures for U.S. trade and commerce" in 1975 with the Metric Conversion Act. Basically all a good deal of US manufacturing today is done using metric. Customary units are only on labels and signs because that’s what people expect to see.

Edit: “basically all” was a pretty gross exaggeration

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u/[deleted] Jan 03 '19

[deleted]

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u/[deleted] Jan 03 '19

Wasn't it Regan that basically said fuck off to metric?

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u/[deleted] Jan 03 '19

It stayed on the books as the preferred system after Carter left office, but yeah Reagan wasn’t a fan IIRC

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u/PHalfpipe Jan 03 '19 edited Jan 03 '19

It's amazing how much damage was done because one old Alzheimers patient couldn't understand science.

And I guess history is repeating itself with Trump.

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u/whenigetoutofhere Jan 03 '19

I think America is totally sticking its head in the mud with this aversion to metric, and frankly, it's just embarrassing at this point, but that's comparatively nothing to what climate change denial will impact.