Who Uses the Metric System? NOOOOOOOBODY.

Like most Canadian kids raised in the 70s/80s, we were one of the first generation to be introduced to the concept of the metric system for measurements/weights/temperatures, etc. To our teachers' credit, they did try real hard to stick to their forced curriculum and impart this relatively new system in Canada to their eager students.

Twenty to thirty years later, where are we with metric?

I tell you, in my whole adult life, and even in my late childhood, I have never heard of anyone measuring their height or weight in metric, unless it was in the Olympics or at a government office. In "real life", people are 5' 8", 6' 2", 150lbs., 95lbs., etc. Never have I heard someone say they are 189cm (not even sure if that is possible, since I don't know what that is in imperial, nor do I care), or they are 68KG (again, not sure what that is). The problem is that we just can't relate to that. I do, however, know what one meter is (due to being hit with a meter stick enough times). I know that 30cm is the size of a standard school ruler. But extrapolating that into a larger unit, I am unable to do, nor would I want to (since I have no pressing reason to do so, since I already know how much one foot is, one yard is, one pound is). It seems fairly tangible.

The problem that they never taught us in school is that when we get older and get jobs and what not, inevitably we will be dealing with people in the U.S., by far our biggest trading partner, and they, of course still use imperial, and I doubt they will change anytime soon, since they have no reason to change, despite the large chunk of the globe going metric. So even if we are the most brainwashed Canadian public school student in the history of the education system in Canada, inevitably we will be forced to yield to our southern neighbour's way of measuring and weighing, unless we don't wish to do any business with them, which of course is not even remotely possible (if you want your business to thrive).

I do find it funny, though, that most Canadians are like me, in that they will use a hybrid system; that is, they will fill up gas by the liter and know what that is, they will measure short distances by imperial (foot, inches, yard), yet our highway signs and our long distance travel equations seem to be in metric (kilometers). How about the weather and temperature? I haven't met too many Canadians, if any, who use farenheit when talking about perfect golfing temperatures or how cold it is outside in the winter. We all know the temperature in celsius, the wind chill and humidex in celsius, though when we barbecue, cook chickens in the oven or reheat food in portable ovens, it is a toss up between farenheit and celsius, though I believe that more people use imperial than metric. Same goes for taking your temperature with a thermometer. I've met an equal amount of people who use imperial and metric. For me, it's even more weird, since I refer to all outside temperatures by celsius, yet I cook using farenheit and I take my own temperature (ie. body thermometer) using farenheit.

I agree that the metric system is easier when it comes to cleaner conversions between units (ie. in tens, one hundreds (ie. centi), one thousands (ie. kilo), etc. However, the assumption there is that you are using metric units to begin with, and most of us are not, so ease of conversion is a non-factor. I would say, however, that that if I had the choice, assuming that my daily work and personal business makes provision for its use, I'd definitely use metric - for instance, converting quarts, gallons, ounces - all of those I can't tangibly quantify, though I'm sure many can. I have been schooled in using metric and probably can pick it up again, but I'd be having a one-way conversation with myself, since no one around me would have a clue as to what I'm talking about.

Realistically speaking, I think most of our schools should probably teach a hybrid system, since that is what seems to be in common use in society. It is impractical to teach people to weigh humans and measure human height by metric, since no one in the real world does. On the other hand, since metric seems to be Canada's official standard, a good way to ease into metric use is to teach smaller measurements and temperatures by metric. However, that is probably as far as it will go, but that seems to be the real world's acceptance of the metric system anyway.