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   Rich Puchalsky ⩜⃝ (richpuchalsky@mastodon.social)'s status on Tuesday, 11-Mar-2025 08:01:36 JST Rich Puchalsky ⩜⃝

   I knew that I was not going to like the reason for this "elbows up" thing when I finally heard what it was. Yes, the US trying to absorb or conquer your country is best thought of as a game.

   https://ohai.social/@MeanwhileinCanada/114139328189051458

   • Embed this notice
     Håkan Geijer (hakan_geijer@kolektiva.social)'s status on Tuesday, 11-Mar-2025 08:01:34 JST Håkan Geijer

     in reply to

     • CedarTea

     @richpuchalsky @CedarTea just to rhetorically compare, this is the opposite of Michelle Obama's "they go low, we go high." I get that the comparison to sports makes things seems less serious, but also north American English is packed full of sports and military idioms. I think the phrase is valid, but whether or now progressive society is willing to follow through is another question

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     Rich Puchalsky ⩜⃝ (richpuchalsky@mastodon.social)'s status on Tuesday, 11-Mar-2025 08:01:35 JST Rich Puchalsky ⩜⃝

     in reply to

     • CedarTea

     @CedarTea

     I can accept it as a part of Canadian culture which I do not understand, but even rhetorically this is comparing a potentially deadly serious conflict to one of the rituals of a hockey game. Sure you don't precisely break someone's nose in order to win, but it's a recognized and traditional part of the game.

   • Embed this notice
     CedarTea (cedartea@social.coop)'s status on Tuesday, 11-Mar-2025 08:01:36 JST CedarTea

     in reply to

     @richpuchalsky
     Eh, I get what you're saying, but I think it comes off different inside the Canadian cultural context, and the extent that hockey is tied up in it. Elbows up is a call to fight and specifically to cause harm to your opponent in a way that's not respectable or reasonable, and it's understood that way here. Like, you put your elbow out to break someone's nose or knock their chiclets out, not to win a game.