I had no problems using the metric system in science class, where it was standard and the units were basically math on paper, or measured on in a lab. Interestingly, this did not lead me to switch to metric in daily civilian life, where pounds, feet, yards, miles and gallons still rule.
Metric seems mainly useful for conversions. And most people in regular day-to-day civilian life don't do a lot of complex conversions where the difference matters much.
For divers, I think Kevrumbo's tank volume calculations are a potential benefit, but I wonder what % of non-tech. recreational divers on what % of dives try to mathematically calculation out gas volumes for a given depth as part of their planning?
Not for everyone, but for many of us, metric remains a good solution to a problem most of us don't have.
Richard.
---------- Post added October 24th, 2014 at 07:03 PM ----------
Because we're already fluent in it and it's most familiar and comfortable for so many of us. Most people aren't scientists.
As for what the rest of the world is doing vs. the U.S. and whoever, by the same conformity logic, wouldn't it make the world a better place if all non-English speaking countries converted to English? Just think of a world where everyone could talk to each other!
If a new country arose today, with no history in either system, and it were up to me, I'd choose metric. But trying for force everyone here to switch when they clearly don't want to is, well, un-American. At least it used to be. The way the country's going today, I'm not so sure that's as true as it once was.
Richard.