Poaching has always had a certain connotation that you snatched/stole/etc. someone from another employer. Of course, we use "steal" in other contexts where it's perfectly legal/by the rules: steal second base, this thing I bought was a steal, etc. So there's a long history of using this language in English for things that aren't actually illegal or underhanded.

That said, I understand why people object to it and it may be one of those terms it's better to avoid even if it's used playfully.

I thought the US was considered to be a prime example of a low context culture.

E.g. https://www.unitedlanguagegroup.com/blog/communicating-high-...

Every person in this discussion understands how language is used in this context. The discussion is on the merits of whether we ought to use a word in a specific context. Appeals to authority like saying “but everybody uses that word” are completely beside the point.

You’re in 100% agreement with myself and GP if you say that “poaching” is commonly used to mean trying to hire someone from another company. But that has nothing to do with what GP is talking about. They are saying they really wish people wouldn’t use that term, despite it being commonly used.

Understood?

Or maybe you already knew that but really like putting people down on the internet.

True, but being intentional about the connotations of your language is still important.