Dear English native speaker.
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Dear English native speaker. Is "Gang Up" always a negative thing? Or can it be used tongue in cheek to describe teaming up, forming a community to do good things too?
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Dear English native speaker. Is "Gang Up" always a negative thing? Or can it be used tongue in cheek to describe teaming up, forming a community to do good things too?
You can see in the replies a lively discussion, thank you all! I understand that "gang up" is at high risk of being misunderstood. What I want to express is a cooperative approach that stands against the "man up" ideology of the lone (white) hero. That's why my first thought was "gang up". Could it be saved by changing it to "gang up, people" to add that cooperative, community aspect?
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You can see in the replies a lively discussion, thank you all! I understand that "gang up" is at high risk of being misunderstood. What I want to express is a cooperative approach that stands against the "man up" ideology of the lone (white) hero. That's why my first thought was "gang up". Could it be saved by changing it to "gang up, people" to add that cooperative, community aspect?
Now. Back in the 70s a similar idiom was used by anarchist/progressive groups in Germany, "Bildet Banden" (which kinda means gang up) with the explicit intention of using the negative term in a positive way. A modern interpretation by Kasiandra-Richmond was omnipresent at 35C3 in 2018. With a similar intention. Hackers, band together and build better solutions. I always loved that design and as it is CC0, I am trying an English version. Hence the whole discussion. So here's gang up in that style
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