John,
It's a mighty big country out there and I think that people have a wide
variety of beliefs and feelings. Sure, most Americans probably have a
patriotic feeling about their country (as most people do about their
native land), but I think you are generalizing too much when you imply
that most of them have strong feelings of arrogance and superiority
about the US.
One of the difficulties we face in metricating the US is that variety of
feelings and beliefs. Even those who are opposed to metrication probably
vary extensively in their reasons. We're going to have a lot of
difficulty coming up with metrication strategies if we assume that
Americans fall into a "one mentality, fits all" grouping.
My impression of our citizenry is that we have become a bit more global
in our thinking. That gives me hope. In my talks about "the
international metric system" with people, they seem to be paying more
attention when I talk about our ability to deal with the other peoples
of the world. Arguments about simplicity versus complexity and so forth
are mostly a waste of wind power; they already know that, even if
they're not ready to admit it. So I emphasize global perspectives, while
using the ubiquity of metric units in our lives to build a feeling of
comfort about them.
Jim
kilopascal wrote:
>
> 2000-11-24
>
> Well Bill, it isn't a matter of reading minds. In this case, we all know
> how Americans in general feel about themselves as a nation and the how they
> fit in with the rest of the world. There is a strong feeling of arrogance
> and superiority in this country. You know it as well as I do. If you
> don't, then you are either very isolated or have chosen to block or filter
> it out.
>
> I have not met one fellow countryman who does not feel to some degree that
> the US is above everyone else, and the world should be following the US and
> the US the world. I do travel a lot on business, and have been all over the
> country, and the beliefs are basically the same no matter what the region.
>
> So, when I say everyone, American and other, on this list knows I right, I
> mean it. Unless I am shown differently by many experiences that this has
> changed, I will not change how I feel on this subject.
>
> John
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On
> Behalf Of Bill Potts
> Sent: Friday, 2000-11-24 13:21
> To: U.S. Metric Association
> Subject: [USMA:9329] RE: The 2001 Almanac for Farmers and City Folk,
> pp.115-116
>
> John Schweisthal wrote:
> > The truth is everyone on this list knows I'm right and are
> afraid to admit
> it, even to
> > themselves.
>
> Gee, John, I'm so impressed that you can read everyone's mind.
>
> Bill Potts, CMS
> San Jose, CA
> http://metric1.org [SI Navigator]
--
Metric Methods(SM) "Don't be late to metricate!"
James R. Frysinger, CAMS http://www.metricmethods.com/
10 Captiva Row e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Charleston, SC 29407 phone/FAX: 843.225.6789
