this post was submitted on 17 Mar 2026
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We're taught both metric and US customary units in school. I prefer metric for most things, to the point I have a metric-only tape measure among other things.

However, I'll die on the hill that Fahrenheit is superior for ambient air temperature. 0 degrees to 100 degrees neatly encompasses the range of average surface temperatures seen throughout the year in the contiguous US.

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[–] MisterNeon@lemmy.world 55 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Metric in logic, but standard measurements are ingrained into my brain so it's more practical. I think that sucks.

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[–] smeg 44 points 2 weeks ago (8 children)

I always preferred metric and Celsius. When I lived in South Korea, I was able to adapt immediately. Now I live in Europe and it makes all of the conversions easier.

Americans resistant to metric, in my opinion, are not very smart.

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[–] Corporal_Punishment@feddit.uk 17 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (2 children)

Be thankful you at least stick to one system.

I'm British so we use some weird mash up of everything.

Weight - imperial when weighing people, fruit and veg (from a market), metric when weighing everything else.

Height - imperial when measuring people, metric with everything else.

Distance - imperial when walking or driving. Metric when running.

Fluids - imperial for milk and beer. Metric for wine and soft drinks. We fill our cars with litres of petrol but calculate fuel economy in miles per gallon.

[–] pinball_wizard@lemmy.zip 7 points 2 weeks ago

This is the way.

I was raised needing a yardstick with inches on one edge and centimeters on the other, and the words "~~'Merika,~~ Great Britain fuck yeah!" scrawled along the center.

(Edit: I crossed out 'Merika, so now you can borrow my yardstick.)

[–] LedgeDrop@lemmy.zip 4 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Weight - imperial when weighing people, fruit and veg (from a market)

... wait... What about stones (as a unit of weight)? Or is this just a Scotland thing? (People were asking my weight. I had kilos, I had pounds, but they were wanting stones. .... Like really?!?)

[–] Corporal_Punishment@feddit.uk 4 points 2 weeks ago

14lbs in a stone.

Should have mentioned we do people weight in stones/pounds.

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[–] trxxruraxvr@lemmy.world 17 points 2 weeks ago

the range of average surface temperatures seen throughout the year in the contiguous US.

So give it a few more years of global warming and you won't want to use that anymore either.

[–] gigastasio@sh.itjust.works 16 points 2 weeks ago (3 children)

My perspective is probably unique but…

I don’t have a hard preference for either. I know both and I use both on a regular basis. If I need to convert, I convert. I find that one might be easier or more practical for specific instances or applications, but that’s far from a blanket statement that one is always superior, and I have little tolerance for that kind of thinking.

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[–] Valmond@lemmy.dbzer0.com 11 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

The A system is superior to any american shenanigans!

A4 paper size FTW!

[–] bufalo1973@piefed.social 6 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (2 children)

2xA5=A4

2xA4=A3

2xA3=A2

2xA2=A1

2xA1=A0 = 1 m²

And the ratio between sides is √2

[–] SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca 4 points 1 week ago

And they all taste identical.

[–] mosspiglet@discuss.online 4 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)
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[–] Widdershins@lemmy.world 9 points 2 weeks ago

My digital micrometer has a button for switching between regular and metric I don't give a single fuck

[–] thru_dangers_untold@lemmy.world 8 points 2 weeks ago

Metric. All day, every day.

[–] FartsWithAnAccent@fedia.io 8 points 2 weeks ago

I'm used to Imperial but metric is objectively better and easier to use.

[–] itisileclerk@lemmy.world 8 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Metric ARE standard measurments, the others are wierd.

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[–] AstroLightz@lemmy.world 8 points 2 weeks ago

Metric. Imperial is a fucking mess. At least with Metric, most size measurements are 10 to the power of something.

[–] IcedRaktajino@startrek.website 8 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Metric for most measurements except temperature (Fahrenheit - same reason you gave) and colloquial distances/velocities (e.g miles to the store, miles per hour).

[–] Cheems@lemmy.world 8 points 2 weeks ago

Metric. I do a lot of woodworking and auto repair and anytime I have to use not metric it's annoying

[–] HotsauceHurricane@lemmy.world 7 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Metric seems to be the superior measurement. Problem is , I can visualize 6in and NOT 6cm.

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[–] Fourth@mander.xyz 7 points 1 week ago

Metric 100% when I'm working with mechanical stuff my mind works in metric but my brain has been poisoned to use imperial in other things and I actually really dislike it.

[–] titanicx@lemmy.zip 7 points 1 week ago

I normally don't talk about this in public. 

But I'm Bimeasurable. I go both ways. Sometimes at the same time. That 7 inch 5mm I got packing is exciting.

[–] Landless2029@lemmy.world 7 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

It depends on what I'm doing.

Baking: metric - grams on a food scale help me replicate recipes perfectly.

Cooking meat: standard - 140°F steak, 165 chicken

3D printing: metric always

Woodworking/household: standard - inches are just the standard for all the things. Wood, curtains, hardware, etc

Mechanical: ??/?? Depends on where it's made! I hate having to switch wrenches or sockets due to the wrong standard.

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[–] howler@lemmy.world 6 points 2 weeks ago

100% metric

[–] mosspiglet@discuss.online 6 points 2 weeks ago

I prefer metric, it just makes more sense. Also having to add fractions in order to measure something is maddening. 10 1/4" + 4 17/32" vs. 260mm + 115mm

[–] agamemnonymous@sh.itjust.works 6 points 2 weeks ago (3 children)

Same as you. I agree on Fahrenheit on the same principle, but it's not that big of a deal and °C isn't that hard to adjust to.

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[–] Zetta@mander.xyz 6 points 1 week ago

I use metric when working on personal projects and cad, I would vote yes if a miracle happened and switching all of the us to metric was on the ballot.

[–] NABDad@lemmy.world 6 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I tend to use metric when I'm designing 3D models.

In woodworking and other linear measurements, I use imperial units.

Celsius for my 3D printer, but Fahrenheit for weather.

Driving is miles.

In cooking I use imperial units.

Metric for Physics.

[–] Admetus@sopuli.xyz 5 points 2 weeks ago (3 children)

When I see imperial units in high school physics I wonder what is the point. We typically use SI units so that constants are the same across the board. I can't imagine c being anything else other than 3e8 m/s.

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[–] Sagan_Wept@sh.itjust.works 5 points 2 weeks ago

Metric all the way

[–] bitwolf@sh.itjust.works 5 points 2 weeks ago

Between all the science classes and the love of building PCs I'm all in on the metrics system.

[–] HootinNHollerin@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Metric. I’m a mechanical engineer. I absolutely hate the amount of extra work i have to do because this country idiotically still uses USCS / standard. Every American company I’ve worked for is metric, but suppliers are often standard only.

[–] Cethin@lemmy.zip 5 points 1 week ago

For F and C, C is better for things like cooking, where what water is doing is useful. F is better for what we feel. Low numbers feel cold, hot temperatures (approaching 100) feel hot. I know people get used to C, if you're using it every day, but I still think F is the better system for it. That doesn't mean we should use it though. I think we should just switch to C and deal with it.

[–] bassgirl09@lemmy.world 5 points 1 week ago

Metric - so much easier to understand and work with. I personally hate the imperial system, but I know it because of where I grew up. I would shed no tears if the U.S. switched to metric tomorrow.

[–] wolfeh@lemmy.blahaj.zone 5 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Metric. I've had my phone set up to display the temperature in Celsius for the last ~8 years so that I can get a sense of it without doing math all the time.

[–] jtrek@startrek.website 5 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Imperial system (or whatever the US system is called ) should go away. Let's all just one standard.

Unfortunately, since I'm from the US, I only really know this one, and it's hard to switch when nothing else has switched. I'd put up with the pain of switching though.

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[–] stinerman@feddit.online 5 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I have my phone set to show me the temperature in Celsius. I've tried really hard to internalize how far a kilometer is, and have failed so I still have my distance units set to miles.

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[–] GarboDog@lemmy.world 5 points 2 weeks ago

Metric system 100% of the way.

[–] sturmblast@lemmy.world 4 points 2 weeks ago

I use both all the time, prefer metric

[–] Tollana1234567@lemmy.today 4 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

metric, since i was in the stems. people would freak out if you use kelvin.

[–] Semi_Hemi_Demigod@lemmy.world 4 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Metric for everything but temperature because 69F is nice.

[–] MrFinnbean@lemmy.world 6 points 2 weeks ago

This is first time i have heard compelling and sensible argument for farenheit.

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