It's true that things have changed over the passage of time, and I think that people have also stopped caring about the metric system.
Industry has converted. CAD software lets you switch between US and metric with the flip of a switch. Things like the spacing of pins on a microchip are just arbitrary decimal numbers anyway. The car industry has standardized on metric fasteners. Most US households don't even need non metric tools any more.
A few things like building materials are still US, but once again, for industry, they're just decimal entries into a CAD program, and if they need different sizes, they can order custom sizes from the mill.
Some weird units remain, like spark plug threads, but those things are so unique that there's no reason to switch. The only use for a spark plug wrench is to loosen a spark plug.
As an amusing aside, I still use cash, because of my side occupation as a working musician. I often get paid in cash. It piles up in my house and I have to remember to use it. Also, there's an old tradition of drinking establishments letting the musicians have a free drink, so I keep some small bills in my instrument case to tip the bartender.
Industry has converted. CAD software lets you switch between US and metric with the flip of a switch. Things like the spacing of pins on a microchip are just arbitrary decimal numbers anyway. The car industry has standardized on metric fasteners. Most US households don't even need non metric tools any more.
A few things like building materials are still US, but once again, for industry, they're just decimal entries into a CAD program, and if they need different sizes, they can order custom sizes from the mill.
Some weird units remain, like spark plug threads, but those things are so unique that there's no reason to switch. The only use for a spark plug wrench is to loosen a spark plug.
As an amusing aside, I still use cash, because of my side occupation as a working musician. I often get paid in cash. It piles up in my house and I have to remember to use it. Also, there's an old tradition of drinking establishments letting the musicians have a free drink, so I keep some small bills in my instrument case to tip the bartender.