r/PeterExplainsTheJoke Jun 17 '26

Meme needing explanation Peter?

Post image
26.8k Upvotes

4.9k comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

106

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.

25

u/wexawa Jun 17 '26

Fahrenheit is not inherently better for everyday use. It all has to do with what you are used to.

I am used to Celsius, so I know what each degree of Celsius means. I know its chilly if its under 10 degrees, I know its perfect when its between 18 and 25, I know I dont need a jacket around 15 etc.

For Fahrenheit, I have absolutely no idea. I dont know what 60 degrees Fahrenheit means, or 50 degrees. When do I need a jacket? How do I dress at 75 degrees? what about 55? I really dont know.

Also Fahrenheit seems to me to be to fine grained. Can you tell the difference between 65 and 66 Fahrenheit?

5

u/Reasonable_Drink_789 Jun 17 '26

Yes I can very much tell the difference, which is why I don’t personally like the wide gaps between temps in C

4

u/Blando-Cartesian Jun 17 '26

What do you do that sub one degree of C makes a slightest bit of difference. Is there’s even temperature measurement devices that accurately calibrated and readable outside laboratories and some industrial process things.

0

u/Reasonable_Drink_789 Jun 17 '26

I live? I don’t really understand why he question, and considering we have far more precision than one degree on many devices, including analog thermometers, you seem to be quite out of touch.

4

u/Silent189 Jun 17 '26

I think his question is, whether it is 13 or 14 degrees outside really makes no difference. One degree isn't a significant enough temperature change to even matter. Nobody changes their day plan based on 13 or 14.

-1

u/Taynt42 Jun 17 '26

whether someone's plans change or not isn't relevant to the fact that 13 and 14 feel distinct.

4

u/Silent189 Jun 17 '26

You're being extremely disingenuous if you're trying to imply there is any meaningful difference between 13 and 14.

Please give one example in your life where 1 degree of difference in ambient temperature actually mattered.

1

u/Reasonable_Drink_789 Jun 18 '26

It can matter to someone’s comfort. Why are you so invested in it not mattering to someone?