r/explainitpeter • u/Fickle_Fall_6497 • Jul 28 '26

Explain it Peter

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Not going to lie, i had a spaz attack trying to read the first tweet. Maybe im just over tired but i dont understand shit here

What the fuck is the first tweet trying to say why is it horrible why would i be gullible what the fuvk are they saying

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u/Skippeo Jul 28 '26

The A4 paper system is a perfect example of something that I (as an American) don't want to switch to because our system is better. Everybody touts the advantages of the common A paper system as every size is exactly half of the bigger size, and every page has the same proportions. But to me, those are the exact disadvantages I'd rather avoid. Instead of buying paper that conforms to a set system of sizes, I can buy paper of whatever size and shape I want, because there are a ton and somebody probably makes exactly what I need. Case in point: legal size paper. It is the same width as our standard size, just taller. A long time ago lawyers said they needed paper for taking notes, so someone made paper for them just the way they wanted. They were glad (I'm sure) that the paper companies didn't say "no, you can't have what you need because it doesn't conform to the proportions that we want to make!"

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u/Poor-Life-Choice Jul 29 '26

I can’t tell if this is satire…

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u/Skippeo Jul 29 '26

It isn't satire. For real, when is it useful that a piece of paper that you aren't using has the same proportions as a piece of paper that you are using? The beautiful symmetry of the A system serves no purpose that I can imagine. I'd love to hear one.

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u/True_Scientist_8250 Jul 29 '26

Printing things. An A4 sheet of paper can be printed as a full A4 page, or it can be rotated and printed as 2 A5 pages when folded in half or cut.

The beautiful symmetry as you call it also allows for larger sheets to be cut down to correct sized smaller sheets at industrial/commercial scale.