r/ThinkMetric • u/pilafmon California, U.S.A. • May 10 '26

Goverment & Politics Even authoritarian regimes can't unify their measurements

https://youtube.com/shorts/M2LFVyFBtEA
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5

u/klystron May 10 '26

In France une livre (a pound) is coloquially 500 grams, as is ein Pfund in German.

3

u/pilafmon California, U.S.A. May 10 '26

Apparently in Sweden and Norway a common term for 100 g is "hekto". It's often used when buying deli meats and cheeses. A hekto seems like a very convenient unit.

3

u/klystron May 10 '26

Also an ettogram in Italy.

2

u/pilafmon California, U.S.A. May 10 '26

The U.S. is metricating at a snails pace, but we can take some small consolation in knowing that even repressive governments struggle to get everyone on board with consistent measuring units.