Dear NPR, In his August 12 segment on the problems U.S. Olympic athletes face when using the metric system of measurement, Mike Pesca wrote, "…the distance athletes don't know metric weights. The weight athletes don't know metric distance." Pesca suggests that some kind of “eclectic” knowledge is required to solve this problem. I disagree. The only kind of knowledge needed would be the common knowledge provided by teaching only the metric system in America’s schools. And, the only answer to the question, “How much is 78 kg?” would be “78 kg.” We learn the metric system by using it for all measurements and relying upon it as the sole measurement standard.
Although the U.S. has just competed well in international athletics, it may tend to perform poorly in the international competition for intellectual talent if it continues its long-time prejudice against adopting the world language of measurement in its everyday life. To use Pesca’s phrase, America may learn the following “hard lesson" : there is a difference between being exceptional and just standing alone. Paul Trusten, Pharmacist Vice-President and Public Relations Director U.S. Metric Association, Inc. www.metric.org Paul Trusten, Reg. Pharmacist Vice President U.S. Metric Association, Inc. Midland, Texas USA www.metric.org +1(432)528-7724 [email protected]
