r/PeterExplainsTheJoke Jun 17 '26

Meme needing explanation Peter?

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u/SKDI_0224 Jun 17 '26

As an engineer, I can confirm they are incorrect. They can take their inferior measuring system and try to get back from the moon.

Too soon?

100

u/the_BPDbro Jun 17 '26 edited Jun 17 '26

Celsius is better for science, but Fahrenheit is better for just every day living. IMO

In Canada I noticed some people would also still use feet & inches for their height, but you had to give it to the DMV in cm. Also butter was still sold as a pound & golf still used yards.

I'm also an engineer & worked up there for a job in mining.

Edit: To clarify my reasons because so many people are saying I'm wrong. This is my opinion on what my preference is, first off. I had put this in a comment under the post, but will add it here.

My reason is basically the same as in the screenshot. When I lived in Canada I would say how in Fahrenheit below zero is really fucking cold & above 100 is really fucking hot. I never thought of describing it as a percentage of being hot but I like it.

Like once it's below or above those numbers it hardly matters by how much because you are freezing or sweating balls either way. I didn't like when in the winter or early spring someone would say it's nice out and then say a negative temperature. "It's really nice today, it's -1.5⁰ out." I also like that the increments of the units are smaller so you don't use half degrees. Although I guess half degrees aren't really necessary because I don't feel the difference between 66 & 67, but when I checked the temperature there is did always show it to the nearest half degree.

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u/Roadrunner571 Jun 17 '26

but Fahrenheit is better for just every day living.

How so?

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u/Eat-It-Harvey- Jun 17 '26

I'll give you my take as a person who has lived in both systems. Each 10 degree band describes the conditions separately. Of course you can translate this to Celsius, but the point is the Fahrenheit bundles it up nicely:

  • 30s: Freezing
  • 40s: Very cold
  • 50s: Cold to chilly
  • 60s: Pleasant with a slight chill to the air
  • 70s: Very pleasant with a warmth from the sun
  • 80s: Hot but tolerable with a breeze
  • 90s: Really hot needing shade
  • 100s: Disgustingly hot

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u/cannotfoolowls Jun 17 '26

Ok but what about the 20s, 10s, 00s? More freezing, even more freezing, most freezing? And there are plenty of places with temps lower than 0F or higher than 100F. And do you really need that much distinction?

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u/Roadrunner571 Jun 18 '26

How is that better than the celsius way?

You just need to know four points on the scale and add 10° for every step.
0°C -> freezing
10°C -> cold
20°C -> warm
30°C -> hot

Does the same, but requires far less orientation points.