Ever wondered why Americans still use inches, feet, and Fahrenheit while the rest of the world moved on to the metric system decades ago? Spoiler: pirates are involved. So is Ronald Reagan. And also… vibes?
In this episode, we unravel the chaotic history of how the U.S. got stuck with the imperial system. From French nerds inventing the meter during a revolution to a platinum prototype that got literally kidnapped by Caribbean pirates (seriously), we explore why the transition to metric never quite stuck.
We also dig into why Thomas Jefferson was a bougie Francophile, what Reagan did (again) to ruin things, how converting road signs could cost more than solving world hunger, and why your pizza sounds more serious in inches!
By the end, you might just agree: America's refusal to switch to metric is less about logic… and more about cultural inertia, expensive signage, and just a bit of national stubbornness.
Important Links:
1. Why won't America Go Metric - https://time.com/3633514/why-wont-america-go-metric/
2. Lost In Translation - https://sma.nasa.gov/docs/default-source/safety-messages/safetymessage-2009-08-01-themarsclimateorbitermishap.pdf?sfvrsn=eaa1ef8_4
3. The Gimli Glider - https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/history/gimli-glider
Don't Know, Do Care is the brainchild of Ashmita, Sandy, and Prakhar, three friends from different backgrounds and interests. Ashmita works in sustainability, Sandy's an entrepreneur (puke) who'd rather not be, and Prakhar works with Sandy and is just trying to make sense of it all.
Three mildly confused friends, one weirdly specific topic each week. We don't know much, but we care just enough to talk about it for up to an hour each week.
Don't Know, Do Care is produced by "Ghar Pe Productions", edited by Prakhar and Sandy, critiqued (thoroughly) by Ashmita, and enjoyed mostly by our friends. Thanks for giving us a listen!
