Why do we still call the Midwest the Midwest.

[Jonluw]

This is the better question

If I'm not mistaken now: I think I read that the reason 'the west' and 'the east' are where they are is that it's based on their position in relation to the mediterraean sea. (note that mediterra means 'middle of the earth')

Edit: Yes, I am - and was - aware that it's a joke. I just thought it would be interesting to actually know where the names came from.
The "Europe as reference point" explanation doesn't really provide a reason for why Europe would be called The west.

And:

Does everyone on the Internets have an incessant need to be right all the time?

Yes. Yes we do

 

[AgentDarkmoon]

Because calling it 'The Middle' is strange, 'The Mideast' doesn't have that same ring, and 'The Middle East' is just... bad.

 

[ace_of_something]

It's all relative. To the Europeans (who got to call the shots long before the Americans ever did), the "East" is actually to their east and the "West" is actually to their west.

No, actually that's not right. If that were right what are the west of? themselves?

If I'm not mistaken now: I think I read that the reason 'the west' and 'the east' are where they are is that it's based on their position in relation to the mediterraean sea. (note that mediterra means 'middle of the earth')

Edit: Yes, I am - and was - aware that it's a joke. I just thought it would be interesting to actually know where the names came from.

This is actually correct.

 

[Cabamacadaf]

but the metric system makes no sense, kilos and grams, and all that noise, plus you'd need to teach every adult in all of america, which is fucking impossible, what you'd need to do is put it in schools first and let it all evolve on it's own, but then you need to replace signs, ect, it all becomes a mess. Also it makes fat people sound skinny.

Actually it does. It's just 1000's of everything; 1000 gram is 1 kilogram, 1000 kilo is a ton, etc. Same goes for length, but with 100's; 100 centimeter is a meter, 100 meter is a hectometer, 100 hectometer is a kilometer. It's the imperial system that's random as fuck.

But you're right about the huge effort needed to convert to the metric system. Don't forget that a lot of says and stuff ("not an inch further") are based on the imperial system. But at least SCIENCE! has made the jump over there, the plebians don't matter much.

Actually hecto means 100 times, kilo means 1000 times, so one kilometer is 1000 meters (nobody uses hectometer). Centi means 1/100.

 

[vehystrix]

yeah it's called the west because it's relative to europe, not the US. think about it, you're not the reference point to all. If anything, greenwich should be the reference point. Hence the expression still holds (yeah I do realise it's a joke, but it seems some people really don't get it and think the US is the center of the world, hence why I elaborated on it)

Pretty sure it has to due with old maps which put Jerusalem as the center, making it relative to Western Asia, not Europe.

Spoiler: Like this one

That may very well be it, thank you. However I think that the fact Jerusalem is in the center of them is something of an happy coincidence. Think about it, at the time the only part of the world that had been charted did have Jerusalem in the center (as shown on the image, I doubt there had been more parts of the world charted, and it's not even terribly out of proportion)

 

[auronvi]

First off, JDKJ... I don't think I have read a single positive thing from you this entire thread. You saw Midwest and decided to start bashing it? And judging about why you are suspended you don't say much of value do you?

OT: I live in the Midwest. I like the term, it fits better than anything anyone else has said so far.

I spent this entire time trying to backhandedly insult JDKJ for calling my state a "Flyover" state that I have decided not to go the passive aggressive route and flat out say it. You refer to the place I live as so worthless that you should just fly over it, I say FUCK YOU and the horse you rode in on. Get some perspective.

 

[Dags90]

If I'm not mistaken now: I think I read that the reason 'the west' and 'the east' are where they are is that it's based on their position in relation to the mediterraean sea. (note that mediterra means 'middle of the earth')

Edit: Yes, I am - and was - aware that it's a joke. I just thought it would be interesting to actually know where the names came from.

Mediterranean can also mean "in the middle of lands", say Europe and Africa. I think the 'Jerusalem as center' makes the most sense, largely because of the number old world maps with Jerusalem as the explicit center.

That may very well be it, thank you. However I think that the fact Jerusalem is in the center of them is something of an happy coincidence. Think about it, at the time the only part of the world that had been charted did have Jerusalem in the center (as shown on the image, I doubt there had been more parts of the world charted, and it's not even terribly out of proportion)

There are many such maps, it really isn't coincidence. Nor is it coincidence that Jerusalem was of significant religious importance to the map makers.

While not at all accurate, the symbolism of Jerusalem as the center is about explicit as possible.

 

[jcg]

now what does a pound translate into grams? see, this is where you loose people, you need to first explain how something is something else, when you learn english first, then spanish, you go "friend" is "amigo" you have to explain the whole thing from bottom up, using each piece of the original idea (meter is X whatever) otherwise you loose people.

one pound is around 450 grams, or 0.450 kg.
Now how many inches in a foot? 12 How many foot in a mile? 5280. Now how many inches are there in a mile, don't use a calculator or google.
Let's do the same for the right system (better know as the SI standard) 1000 mm in a meter, 1000 meter in a kilometer, so 1000000 mm in a kilometer.

And the great thing is, every measurement works that way. A kilogram(kg) is 1000 gram, a kilometer (km) is a 1000 meter, a kiloseconde is a 1000 secondes. A kilo Kelvin (kK) is a 1000 Kelvin. The list is easy enough, everything you shift the decimal point 3 to the left or right depending on which your going:

Tera is 10^9
Mega is 10^6
Kilo is 10^3

Milli is 10^-3
Micro is 10^-6
Nano is 10^-9
Pico is 10^-12

I left out the centi, deci and hecto because i don't like them, they make the list a bit cluttered

 

[JDKJ]

It's all relative. To the Europeans (who got to call the shots long before the Americans ever did), the "East" is actually to their east and the "West" is actually to their west.

No, actually that's not right. If that were right what are the west of? themselves?

If I'm not mistaken now: I think I read that the reason 'the west' and 'the east' are where they are is that it's based on their position in relation to the mediterraean sea. (note that mediterra means 'middle of the earth')

Edit: Yes, I am - and was - aware that it's a joke. I just thought it would be interesting to actually know where the names came from.

This is actually correct.

Bear in mind that at the dawn of European map-making and exploration, Western Europe wasn't the center of gravity. The Renaissance grew out of Italy. From Italy's perspective, France, Spain, Portugal, and the UK are to their west. Again, it's all relative to where you stand.

 

[AgentNein]

"No Coast" hasn't caught on yet.

I like that though. Fucking no coasters. See? Already a slur. Of course it could be confused with those douchebags who don't put anything under their drink when they set it on a table. Fuck those guys too.

 

[Jonluw]

If I'm not mistaken now: I think I read that the reason 'the west' and 'the east' are where they are is that it's based on their position in relation to the mediterraean sea. (note that mediterra means 'middle of the earth')

Edit: Yes, I am - and was - aware that it's a joke. I just thought it would be interesting to actually know where the names came from.

Mediterranean can also mean "in the middle of lands", say Europe and Africa. I think the 'Jerusalem as center' makes the most sense, largely because of the number old world maps with Jerusalem as the explicit center.

*shrugs*
I dunno.
I think I read that stuff about the mediterranean sea in my history book, but it's not like books can't be wrong.

 

[crudus]

Is there a problem with it? If everyone says "midwest" we all know where you are talking about. It isn't like the "fly over states" which I have never heard of despite living in teh midwest for 21 years.

Sometimes names just stick, like New England sticking even after we gained independence.

Nor is it really "new" anymore.

This is the better question

Spoiler

edit: good lord you people can't just enjoy a joke? Does everyone on the Internets have an incessant need to be right all the time? I and I'm sure the author of the cartoon are well aware of the reasons why. It's A JOKE. If you're going to quote me to explain it: don't.

I could take a joke if it was funny(which from my understanding is a requirement for a joke). However it just reinforces the egocentric stereotype of Americans. This remains the only XKCD I have never laughed at.

The term "Midwest" is falling into disuse. Increasingly, the region is called "the flyover states."

Really? I live in the heart of the Midwest and I've never even heard that term before.

I doubt flyover will really catch on that much, it's not as immediately indicative of what you're talking about and it has more syllables.

It also just sounds insulting. It is like saying "well nothing is here. Keep moving." which isn't entirely true.