Why do Americans write their dates down backwards?

[The_root_of_all_evil]

I was just wondering because Americans always say the UK is stupid for spelling things like 'colour' in that way. I actually agree because there is no need for the 'u'. but then I was like wtf hypocrisy! they put the dates in the most stupid order: month,day,year! I honestly don't know how you can even look yourselves in the mirror

Mr. Noah Webster [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noah_Webster]. tl;dr Once America had achieved independence, they wanted to move away from their Mother tongue, and adopted a new set of standards that would denote them as a new country.

Once Hollywood/Apple/Microsoft gained its hold, they then tried to export these standards to the rest of the world, thus sparking all the debate.

But you really failed on "aluminium"

 

[Agayek]

Americans do a lot of shit backwards for no apparent reason.

Seriously, why are we the only country that drives on the right side of the road, write dates month, day, year and don't use the metric system?

If I remember correctly, Japan also does the "drive on the right side of the road" thing.

As for the rest of it: It's so we can retain our rugged independence, and keep convincing ourselves we're still Indiana Jones.

 

[Sparrowsabre7]

What are you talking about? You're the ones writing it backwards. Drive on the proper side of the road while you're at it and abandon the metric system!

Why would anyone hate the metric system? It's much easier. everything in tens, hundreds and thousands. I have no idea what people were smoking with the imperial system (though it does sound cooler)

 

[twistedshadows]

We just do?

Why do you guys write your dates forward?

Though I think this is the best answer/question.

 

[Lullabye]

Canada's just confused in all this. Seriously, half the time it's metric, other half it's imperial. We drive on the left, write our dates both american and u.k-ian.
We spell it "colour" for some reason,.....I dunno, I wish we would just choose a damn side.

 

[RikSharp]

probably well ninja'd by now as i'm late to the answer but its a pretty simple answer.
say the date.
in the uk i would say "today is the 6th of april, 2010"
in the us i would say "today is april 6th, 2010"

just like the us misses letters out of words (armour/armor, colour/color) because its quicker or simpler. they say the date quicker or simpler.

 

[Eri]

That's just silly, everyone knows you're the ones who write it backwards lol

First thought that popped into my head.

 

[bluemistake2]

the metric system fails just look at my point the imperial system is way better just look at this picture
http://funnyjunk.com/funny_pictures/166508/The+Metric+System/
(please could someone tell me how to post pics in the actual post? thx in advance)
OT: americans tend to do things backwards i mean look at kkk that is completely backwards (socially anyway)

 

[Deadlock Radium]

In Norway, we write todays date like this: 06.04.10.
That's the right way to write it.
A Metric system is the right way to measure car speeds etc.
Kilograms and centimeters instead of pounds and inches/feet are the right way to measure other things.
I can continue, but prefer not to because I will get flamed if I do so.

 

[USSR]

Do Not Ask Questions You Shouldn't Be Askin'.

In Soviet Russia, Date Write You -.-

 

[SomethingUnrelated]

Because they feel the need to be different?

 

[-Brandon Eggleston-]

We're the rebellious child! D'uh! If we did everything like the rest of the world it'd be boring and predictible! Yawn fest!

 

[Iron Criterion]

Isn't driving on the left a throwback from the bygone days of horse and carts, so that your sword arm was always at the ready?

Indeed.

So I guess you could argue that the convention of driving on the right emerged to show that you meant no harm to other road users, as your sword arm was on the "outside" of the road.

I actually found an article that gave a different reason for driving on the right. The link is in one of my earlier posts in this article if you feel inclined to fish it out since I don't

 

[WilliamRLBaker]

Americans do a lot of shit backwards for no apparent reason.

Seriously, why are we the only country that drives on the right side of the road, write dates month, day, year and don't use the metric system?

canada drives on the right side of the road...and their steering wheel is on the left side...
atleast if memory serves me right when I was in canada around toronto.

 

[DazBurger]

Americans do a lot of shit backwards for no apparent reason.

Seriously, why are we the only country that drives on the right side of the road, write dates month, day, year and don't use the metric system?

No offence but the only places, where you drive in the left side of the road is England and India

 

[FightThePower]

Why do we write ours down forwards?

 

[NoriYuki Sato]

Americans do a lot of shit backwards for no apparent reason.

Seriously, why are we the only country that drives on the right side of the road, write dates month, day, year and don't use the metric system?

...that's cuz metric sucks =P

 

[tkioz]

I can get behind differences in spelling (so long as you yanks don't claim I'm spelling wrong when I use the Queen's English), differences in road laws, tons of other things, but the damn date thing makes no-sense at all.

How does Month, Day, Year work? I could see Year, Month, Day working, as well as our most common Day, Month, Year, but your way is brain killing.

 

[A Pious Cultist]

Americans do a lot of shit backwards for no apparent reason.

Seriously, why are we the only country that drives on the right side of the road, write dates month, day, year and don't use the metric system?

The British don't use the metric system either. It might be offical or something but no one uses it.
Can't recall ever seeing kilometres on a road sign.

 

[Schitz]

Well the ausie way is the same as the brits and i think it makes sense. It goes from most presise to least, like .o0 when the yanks do it like o.0

While I agree that writing from most precise to least is a bit more logical; what about the time?
I mean you write hours first, minutes second, then seconds and parts of a second...
Maybe we all shoul write dates likes this: 2010.04.06 ;-)

Americans do a lot of shit backwards for no apparent reason.

Seriously, why are we the only country that drives on the right side of the road, write dates month, day, year and don't use the metric system?

As far as I know, every Europoean country except England is driving on the right. Actually I believe there are more countries in the world where they drive on the right, than on the left.