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Why do Americans want to know the month first and the day second? (lemmy.world)

submitted 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) by NONE_dc@lemmy.world to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

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I'm sorry but it doesn't make sense TO ME. Based on what I was taught, regardless of the month, I think what matters first is to know what day of the month you are in, if at the beginning, in the middle or at the end of said month. After you know that, you can find out the month to know where you are in the year.

What is the benefit of doing it the other way around?

EDIT: To avoid misunderstandings:

I am NOT making fun OF ANYONE.
I am NOT negatively judging ANYTHING.
I am totally open to being corrected and LEARN.
This post is out of pure and honest CURIOSITY.

So PLEASE, don't take it the wrong way.

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[–] kmartburrito@lemmy.world 90 points 3 days ago (4 children)

As an American it was just what we were taught. However, when I started creating code and being pedantic about organizing files by date, I now prefer YYYYMMDD format as it is, chronologically speaking, superior when prefacing files with it. In this case, in my opinion, it's better to have the year and then month first prior to day.

To each their own, variety is the spice of life.

[–] some_guy@lemmy.sdf.org 29 points 3 days ago

This is the only format that truly makes sense, as it is both unambiguous and, as you noted, sortable.

[–] minibyte@sh.itjust.works 17 points 3 days ago

ISO is my true north.

[–] NONE_dc@lemmy.world 11 points 3 days ago (1 children)

What you say is interesting. Having a way of organizing time that suits your needs. That's why I asked if there was any benefit in the way Americans (and apparently also Chinese) represent time.

[–] ocean@lemmy.selfhostcat.com 2 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Interesting thing about how Chinese time is organized is locations are also stated big to small. Last names then first names etc.

[–] agitated_judge@sh.itjust.works 3 points 3 days ago (2 children)

Locations have a last name and a first name in Chinese?

[–] rigatti@lemmy.world 11 points 3 days ago

China's first name is actually Jim, believe it or not.

[–] ocean@lemmy.selfhostcat.com 5 points 3 days ago

I mean the larger family name comes before the personal name. Implying a connection between number, place, and naming sequences

[–] Trent@lemmy.ml 1 points 3 days ago

This. I usually use MMDDYYYY when I'm dealing with other (US) people and ISO standard for my own stuff.