Recently I mentioned to a relative, who's a government school teacher, that PrinceC-Nut was starting to study geometry - that he was amidst Kumon's Grade 3 - Geometry & Measurement workbook.
I said he's been learning to measure, weigh, and whatnot. To that this relative of mine scoffed, "I hope he's learning the metric system!"
He was; after all, these books are meant to dovetail standard government edu-curricula.
But wait a minute....I got to thinking.
How important has the metric system been in the 35 year course of my life? And then I counted ON ONE HAND how many times I had to call upon this useless knowledge in my dome.
When was the last time any of you buttheads out there ever used the term *decimeter*???
I didn't think so.
Some guy wrote a brilliant, trenchant criticism of all things metric. Here is his concluding paragraph:
Any praise for the metric system hits a raw nerve with me. The metric system is a symbol to me of the division of the ruling class and the people doing all the work. The ruling class (no pun intended) makes all these rules that are completely impractical, and everyone else has to sort of make do, find their way around it. The metric system also symbolizes to me this blind faith we have in science, that science is some kind of ultimate truth, instead of a tool we use to make life easier for ourselves. And because of this blind faith we have, "science" ends up making life harder, less practical for ourselves.
Now click here and read the entire essay. The gist of it is that in the real world, Europeans don't even really use the metric system; they've transformed it back into more of a fraction-based system, a la the original English system! For example, Euros order *pints* of beer and Euro carpenters order wood in standard units of 120 centimeters - instead of in meters. Read the article to see why.
Even as a youth I KNEW, I JUST KNEW that this so-called metric system they were forcing me to learn was complete BS.
Fear not, while even though I spitefully make my son wait 30 minutes between lunch and returning to the pool....I have let him breeze, half-heartedly, through the metric lessons in his book.
11 comments:
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2009/08/26/msnbcs_matthews_barack_is_the_last_kennedy_brother.html
I am speechless.
Are you wearing black today C-Nut?
kfell
Scientists and medical professionals use the metric system.
-Mrs. PrivateCaller
Kfell,
I have mixed feelings about Teddy's demise. His Moronic constituents are still here with us, no? And for some reason I was more euphoric over the initial diagnosis; the end felt anti-climactic.
At least their next depraved Senator won't have such Congressional power/seniority.
Mrs. PC,
Ah....scientists and doctor-types....two of my favorite groups to Marginalize!
Anyone who has ever coerced kiddies to learn about *cubic decimeters* is surely headed where Teddy resides.
Make amends Mrs. PC.
No metric system? That ought to leave your kid qualified to be...a priest. No doubt you'd be thrilled by such a "career choice".
Look pal, SAE is the odd man out. Not only is it a good way for morons to screw up metric denominated data, it is an antiquated system doomed to be forgotten. I suppose you light your house with candles or oil lamps?
Give your kid a buggy whip with his SAE ruler.
I never said that the metric system shouldn't be *introduced* to a child. They should ideally be exposed to just about everything.
This post is a retort to the establishment who's been insisting that we, as a nation, convert everything to metric - FOR DECADES...or else we'll *fall behind*. Maybe you didn't experience that breathless inanity in school as I did 25 years ago. The fact is, Europe is moving away from it, we have made ZERO strides toward it, and yet *government school* science teachers like my "relative" have been completely unmoved by real world happenings.
They are told to teach the metric system (and the fables of peppered moths, the Piltdown man, DDT, etc.) and that's what they do. They are neither *scientists* nor *teachers*.
They are mere clerks in a vast bureaucracy, following orders.
C,
Metric system was introduced during the tyranny of the French Revolution. So, ummmm.... yeah, apples don't fall far from trees.
Ps. we'll all need to know it when there is one world government utilizing the metric system, which is "their" goal.
Taylor,
Great point about the metric system and the importance of *global unity* on the matter.
Just about anything *global* in scope or ambition ought to be ran from as a ruse for concentrated power - even peace!
I don't even know where to begin.
Perhaps in your line of work you have no need of keeping track of a multitude of units and their conversions. As an engineer, I am. The metric system is magnitudes more conducive to these types of things, and therefore far less prone to error. And, the base units of measurement are more intuitive to boot. For starters, can you tell me what the British unit for mass is? Great, now tell me, what is the difference between lbm and lbf? I could go into detail, but this information is readily available to anyone who cares to learn about it.
I fail to see how derisively referring to the 'decimeter' and railing about some government conspiracy constitutes an intelligent position about the merits of the metric system. Everything else you have said about education makes sense, but you are way off the mark here. If your son is as intelligent as you say, I'm sure he will grow up to realize dear old dad was wrong about this one.
Every subject has its *merits*.
My point is that the metric system's rightful place in the hierarchy of educational curricula should be much, much lower.
For example, don't you think basic economics is a more relevant subject for the majority of students? Yet that subject is not on the core curriculum of all government and most private schools.
And I would never stoop to *derision*. That's just not me!
I am obviously getting onto this topic quite late in the piece; however, I feel that it is obviously a painful process to change and I sense that as the change would be to fit in to the rest of the world, many Americans resent having to do it and resist it as a consequence.
I can see from these comments that in the US, people are arguing that the metric system is the modern way and that resistance to change is only slowing progress. That is only an interpretation, but as an Australia, I can say that from an outsiders viewpoint, the USA maintaining the imperial system is the same as a country rejecting DVDs and continuing to use VHS cassettes. For example, our education system is teaching our kids (well, my kids at least), that they should know that the imperical system exists but they should not worry too much about it because it is only used in a few countries and that it will eventually not be used anymore.
Also worth noting...the Olypmic Games uses the metric system and that is arguably a "World" event that could use either system but chooses the one most people use.
Anyway, I hope at least that someone who reads this later will take all this on board.
Anon,
You should be teaching our own kids - at least to the point where they can, and enjoy, teaching themselves. Read my homeschooling posts!
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