Pokémon Go Is Secretly Teaching Americans the Metric System • Hacker News Board

Re: Pokémon Go Is Secretly Teaching Americans the Metric System

#11

Post by Broken_Hippo » Fri, Jul 15, 2016, 1:29 PM UTC

dalke wrote: post #5

PhantomGremlin wrote: post #4

Oh, come on. I learned "the metric system" in elementary school in the United States of America nearly 50 years ago. I was in no way confused when it appeared in the movie Pulp Fiction. It's not like Americans don't know the metric system, it's that there is no political will to change. But it really doesn't matter. Large parts of industry in the USA are already "hard metric". Anybody in STEM certainly knows metric,…

"Nearly 50 years ago" was the US made an effort to go metric. People thought the transition would be "soon". Highway signs were put up in both metric and miles. I suspect that that was the high point in teaching metric in schools. There's a difference between knowing metric and really having a feel for it. I speak as someone trained in physics, but that doesn't mean I had a real sense for what it means. What clothes…

It is a lot more difficult than folks think, that's for sure. I've only been living in a metric country for 3 years, and I am only beginning to get a feel for these things. Congratualations, me, you can no longer describe some bits of life and the world in relatable terms.

Re: Pokémon Go Is Secretly Teaching Americans the Metric System

#12

Post by MandieD » Fri, Jul 15, 2016, 1:43 PM UTC

Broken_Hippo wrote: post #10

PhantomGremlin wrote: post #4

Oh, come on. I learned "the metric system" in elementary school in the United States of America nearly 50 years ago. I was in no way confused when it appeared in the movie Pulp Fiction. It's not like Americans don't know the metric system, it's that there is no political will to change. But it really doesn't matter. Large parts of industry in the USA are already "hard metric". Anybody in STEM certainly knows metric,…

There is a huge difference in learning metric in school, using it for specific jobs, and actually having any realistic grasp on the metric system in daily life. Using it in STEM feilds narrows the use to very specific uses - I can measure something in any system giving me numbers, and memorize the system making it faster. It isn't hard to switch to metric mechanics tools. Every day life is a completely different ball…

After living in Germany for a decade (I'm American), I've found that I'm mostly "bilingual," but like I do when I speak German (not quite fluently), I often translate in my head (5cm? 2 inches. 300 grams? 10 ounces.)

I learned metric in school and used it in college science courses, but didn't become fluent until I lived in Germany for a few years. It was trippy having "non-science" people talking about grams and centimeters. Metric fluency has come far more easily than German.

Oddly enough though, I've found that I react like the Germans around me to weather forecasts in Celsius (30 degrees - it's going to be HOT!) when if I heard it in Fahrenheit, I'd react more like a Texan (86 - pleasantly mild for a summer day)

Re: Pokémon Go Is Secretly Teaching Americans the Metric System

#13

Post by dalke » Fri, Jul 15, 2016, 2:40 PM UTC

Broken_Hippo wrote: post #11

dalke wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Nearly 50 years ago" was the US made an effort to go metric. People thought the transition would be "soon". Highway signs were put up in both metric and miles. I suspect that that was the high point in teaching metric in schools. There's a difference between knowing metric and really having a feel for it. I speak as someone trained in physics, but that doesn't mean I had a real sense for what it means. What clothes…

It is a lot more difficult than folks think, that's for sure. I've only been living in a metric country for 3 years, and I am only beginning to get a feel for these things. Congratualations, me, you can no longer describe some bits of life and the world in relatable terms.

Here's a fun one the other way. I know what 80-100C means as sauna temperatures, and I prefer around 90C, but have to do some math to figure out that's 175F-212F, and I prefer around 195F.

(Okay, the 100C=212F is a gimme, but not the others.)

Re: Pokémon Go Is Secretly Teaching Americans the Metric System

#14

Post by Broken_Hippo » Fri, Jul 15, 2016, 3:42 PM UTC

MandieD wrote: post #12

Broken_Hippo wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is a huge difference in learning metric in school, using it for specific jobs, and actually having any realistic grasp on the metric system in daily life. Using it in STEM feilds narrows the use to very specific uses - I can measure something in any system giving me numbers, and memorize the system making it faster. It isn't hard to switch to metric mechanics tools. Every day life is a completely different ball…

After living in Germany for a decade (I'm American), I've found that I'm mostly "bilingual," but like I do when I speak German (not quite fluently), I often translate in my head (5cm? 2 inches. 300 grams? 10 ounces.) I learned metric in school and used it in college science courses, but didn't become fluent until I lived in Germany for a few years. It was trippy having "non-science" people talking about grams and cen…

Heheh. Thanks - I was pretty sure it'd just become easier, just takes a switch. I actually am starting to think in some of those same consraints - but with colder temperatures, likely a result of living in Norway. I'll think a temperature is fairly warm in Celsius (Ok, 10 isn't bad at all), yet 50F? Better put on warmer clothing. It isn't constant yet - I still have my 'stupid' moments (how warm is 10? I can't remember what that feels like!), but better.