Why the US doesn't use the metric system except science?

Answer 1

I suggest to you that the USA as a nation, have a mindset that compells them to be different, and that as a nation they will not be told by any other nation, that they should change anything. They do not even use the same measure of gallons and pints as the rest of the world. You have to ask yourself, why didn't they use the same sized Gallon as the rest of the world. I would love to know the answer to that question. I think it would be humiliating for USA to convert to the Metric system, after all these decades of refusing to adopt it. Rightly or wrongly they see themselves as the leading nation of the entire world. They like to lead, they do not like to follow suit. To the best of my knowledge, the entire Scientific world has only used the Metric system for more than 150 years. Why? Because they were smart enough to realize that if they all used the same Units of measurement they could all perform experiments , share their ideas and results, and work as a united team to measure, test, and discover things for the benefit of the whole world. In life, there is a time to dare to be different; and there is a time and place to be the same as everyone else for the benefit of all people's of the world. It is interesting to note that USA converted to using metric measurement in the Automotive Industry at the same time as the British and Australians. Metric threads have been used in American cars for about 40 years or more. Imagine the complication of using 2 different types of threaded bolts in cars which are sold to the entire world. Having a single world standard for man made things is just common sense. What a pity the whole world doesn't standardize everything. Electric Motors are all made with shaft sizes and bolt holes having Standard Metric sizes in most of the world. I think USA does the same but I am not sure.

Another possibility is that the reason many countries continue to use their own systems, whether monetary, weights and measurements, and even which side of the road they drive on because they feel it's more important to maintain their own cultural identity than it is to try to imitate the rest of the world. The UK, for instance, continues to use the Pound as it's currency despite the fact that the majority of EU nations use the Euro. The Brits also continue to drive on the left side of the road, despite the vast majority of other nations that drive on the right side of the road. Are these idiosyncrasies wrong, or do they simply reflect a desire of a nation to maintain its national identity? Wouldn't the world be a better place to live in if we all accepted and celebrated our differences rather than castigating others for refusing to give up those things that they feel are important?