On Sun, Jan 13, 2008 at 11:29:55AM -0500, Michael Palumbo wrote: > Has anyone else had something like this happen to them?
Yes, all the time. :( > Last night, I was recalling this story to my friend Megan while in the car, > and her reaction to it was *this* shy of violent. She began screaming at me, > telling me how much of a (insert various four letters words here) I am for > using a system that no one else understands. I wear pro-metric t-shirts and the like all the time. This causes a set of the populace to approach me and attempt to discuss how "difficult" it is for them to understand metric or how it's not worth the cost (or some other lame misconception of metric and metrication). Some I can discuss this with and point out how easy metric is compared, some are just trying to pick a fight and won't be swayed for love or money (and don't even want to have a discussion most of the time, they just want to push their view at me and move on). > Her basic points were, if I ascertained them correctly in between her > ranting: > - "No one" understands the metric system, therefore it's off-putting for me > to use it. > - It's "extremely rude" to speak in a manner that people don't understand. > - It's "moronic" and stinks of me just trying to "be different and weird > for the sake of being different and weird". Did you point out that the doctor measures in metric and then converts it for people like her? > I cannot, for the life of me, understand that type of reaction. My > office-mates, even when they don't directly understand it, have a pretty > good idea of what I'm talking about. Rather than try to learn something > new, Megan's reaction is what I fear may be typical of many people in this > country. There's a few groups: - want metric and are willing to do things about it - want metric but can't be bothered doing anything about it - don't care - dislike or misunderstand metric for some reason but can be swayed with a bit of thoughtful discussion - religiously hostile to metric > Either you act like everyone else, or you'll be branded a nut-case. Never > mind that most of the world uses this system, never mind that the foreigners > in this country use it, never mind that the doctor who delivered the baby > used it, *I* am not supposed to because it makes her think, and she can't > handle that. I'd suggest bringing up the fact that the hospital uses metric and just converts for people who don't know it. Obviously you're going to have to be very careful with the wording so she doesn't take it as a slight on her or become hostile before you can finish your sentence. Another approach is to tell her why it is that you feel that metrication is important (this also avoids the now loaded topic of babies and metric). I find a lot of people are swayed by a well thought out and heart fealt discussion about why you feel metrication is important. Once she sees your point of view, then bring up the baby. Paul -- End dual-measurement, let's finish going metric! http://gometric.us/ http://www.metric.org/
