[USMA:34371] Am I talking to the wrong people?

[Remek Kocz]

Shortly before joining this group, I started asking my friends and coworkers about their opinion on the possibility of the US metricating.  Simply, I asked "How would you feel if tomorrow the government decided that we're going metric and there is no turning back?  Would you have a problem with America adopting the metric system?"  The answers that I received and still receive are, to say the least, surprising.  Most people express their willingness to adapt to the situation.  And most know that metric is much easier, at which point a discussion on the irrationality of the USC units breaks out.  Some have no reservations whatsoever.  One person even posed a question in response: "Why haven't we done this yet?"   The negative responses were very few.

I'm a nework engineer at a large school district, so my coworkers come from a variety of backgrounds.  Interestingly enough, I haven't talked to any teachers yet.  I did make a conscious effort to omit scientists and immigrants, since I would know the answers before I even asked the questions.  This was by no means an exacting, scientific survey.  It's an ongoing conversation I'm having with more and more people.  Still, I am very much surprised by what I hear, and I wonder if I am talking to the wrong people.  Is there really so much opposition to the metric system in the US?  Could it be that the industry's fear of presenting the American consumer with metric products is so far out of touch with reality that it could be considered paranoia?