I agree completely with Martin Morrison. This has to be done very, very carefully. The danger of a backlash is huge. Americans are terrified of math, and "going metric" brings up visions of math, conversion charts, having to learn a whole bunch of numbers and jokes about "An inch is as good as 1.609344 kilometers". It does not have to be that way, people know what a two liter bottle looks like without using math, and there a many other examples, but, in spite of the facts, way too many people will think they will have to do a lot of mathematical calculations and learn a bunch numbers. Most people do not want to be bothered with that. Even many of those who understand the advantage of metric do not want to be bothered with that. Many will resist. We cannot rely on logic alone, we have to account for people's emotional response. Al Lawrence
> Date: Thu, 4 Jun 2015 11:45:39 -0700 > From: [email protected] > To: [email protected] > Subject: [USMA:54727] An Opportunity for the USMA (or Chafee Could Do a Lot > of Harm) > > Paul (Trusten) -- A good response as always, Paul. The advantage of > Chaffee's statement is that it has drawn attention to the metric question > once again. BUT -- and it is a big BUT: > > Chafee did an absolutely lousy job in rolling out his policy. He claimed > (briefly) that metrication would be a boost to international commerce, but > he didn't give any argument for why that would be the case. He could have > talked about figures from the U.S. Metric Study (updated), he could have > talked about improving STEM education to get our students jobs, he could > have talked to the benefit to U.S. workers not having to buy two sets of > tools, he could talked about greater markets for U.S. goods. BUT -- he > didn't. > > Moreover, I would have hoped that he would mention that the U.S. is > already half metric and is paying a high price for not pushing the > conversion to completion, but remaining in limbo. He could have educated > people (briefly) about the fact that they are already metric in medicine, > pharmaceuticals, alcohol, lighting, electricity, automotive, and many > other areas. American still remain ignorant of this fact. BUT -- he > didn't. > > As a result, the press simply dredged up the old jokes against metric > instead of discussing the issue as an economic and educational one. I > noted that one of the hosts on Fox News said that Chafee was "thousands of > meters behind" in getting votes. It is of interest that Fox News, the > leading cable news company, is using meters more and more in its > broadcasts. > > It's going to be an uphill battle, but if we are to avoid metric being the > butt of jokes instead of the way to the future economy, I strongly urge > that you, Paul, or Dan, or someone of like metric knowledge and > credentials, make a real effort to get through to Chafee, educate him on > metric, and help him develop "talking points" for his speeches so that he > won't sound like the -- sorry -- fool that he came across on television > yesterday. > > If Chafee continues to play the fool, the result will be that candidates > back off any recommendation toward metric. And you know that every one of > the candidates in both parties will be asked the question -- if they > haven't been already. USMA needs to move fast. > > My recommendation would be to downplay the metric law and emphasize jobs > and commerce. The U.S. needs a lot of education about this, but if we can > get the message across that "Metric Means Jobs and Money" (how's that for > a motto!), we might be able to move the debate to our side. > > Martin Morrison > "USMA Today" Training & Education Columnist >
