The United States should adopt the metric system.

I'm looking forward to debating this interesting and refreshingly lighthearted topic with you. Note that << >> marks quotes by you, and ~~ marks a summary, whether my summary of your words or of mine. Feel free to use this precise symbology to help keep things clear for each other and our voters. Ok: <<< So here are some of my reasons as to why America should adopt the metric system. 1) America is one of the only countries to use this system, and still in school, all American kids are taught the metric system anyways. Therefore, there is no point in knowing about any other system. 2) Immigrants like me may come to America and have great math skills. However, the current system is irregular. The metric system makes sense, since it is based on 10 and has various common derivations of Latin (e.g. centimeter, millimeter). >>> I will start by summarizing what you have said thus far: ~~ The United States should adopt the Metric System because 1) Mostly, the rest of the world has already switched over, and students are already made aware of the metric system and how it works. 2) Immigrants, even intelligent ones, find our system irregular. They find it difficult to multiply or divide in order to convert units. Latin number roots such as cent and mil are neatly base 10. ~~ I would like to say that your first point is not a supporting reason for the Metric system, it is just an observation. So unless you tell me why, on a global scale, it is beneficial, you've thus far only given me one point to argue against (your second). Please explain why you think the fact that the rest of the world uses the Metric system is grounds for the US to convert (pun intended). Simply the fact that the rest of the world has switched over already is not any argument, since just because they use this system doesn't necessarily mean it's better. So we move on to point two, which so far is the only support for your thesis. Your second point, that the Metric system is simple, has some merit to it. Over the years, cultures around the world have used different bases for enumeration. The Babylonians used the sexagesimal system, which was base 60. Other common systems include the binary and hexadecimal scales. The scale that enumerates by Base 10, the Decimal System has grown in popularity, under the process called "Metricizing," and for many years now the decimal system has been the most popular scale. The US counts with the decimal scale, but two big things still remain outside the decimal scale: measurements (e.g. distance) and time. However, you don't hear anyone saying, "Let's make life easier by metricizing time so that a minute is 100 seconds, etc." That would take a lot of time and effort, and it is really something that is simple enough already. We do we need to dumb something down? If we're going to move the bar, let's raise it, not lower it. Learning the vocabulary for the Imperial system is no more difficult than learning the names of classmates or counting in French. ~~ Thus far, you have essentially argued that we should switch to the Metric system since everyone else is doing it and because it's a little easier to remember the worlds and numbers. I fail to see why this is grounds for making a drastic change in our nation's methods. ~~ I would also add that America has a strong sense of pride in holding on to the Imperial System. We're the leaders of the free world, with by far the largest productivity and economy in the world, so why should we conform? If anyone wants some conforming, let's let the rest of the world conform to our system... They got most everything else from us (car, electricity, internet, airplane, etc). NOW: You chose Pro, so you have to argue FOR your thesis, which is that the "The U.S. SHOULD adopt the Metric system." Your job is to give some GOOD reasons to support why the US should switch over when we have been happily using the Imperial system for years on end. I will withhold my biggest arguments for the rounds to follow. Your turn: