Morocco - Culture
To Moroccans, family and personal honor are above all else. They are aware of and concerned about the way others perceive them. Moroccans will go out of their way to preserve their honor. To a Moroccan, preserving honor is often more important than the facts. They may say things or agree in public in order to save face or help you save face. It is important to not criticize people in public.
An individual’s honor is tied to the honor of his family; once it is lost, it is hard to regain. The honor of a family is often linked to the sexual honor of the female members. It is therefore important to treat all females with utmost respect, as an insult to a woman is an insult to the entire family.
Arabs seek to maintain honor above all else. Criticism, even constructive criticism, can threaten or damage an Arab's honor and will be taken as a personal insult. In an attempt to protect himself and his honor, an Arab will react to criticism by flatly denying facts or interpreting them to suit his own perceptions. Arabs can be reluctant to accept responsibility. They may share responsibility but are not eager to accept it in toto. If responsibility is accepted and something goes wrong, then the Arab will be blamed and, thus, dishonored.
Arab's derive companionship and support from their families; they do not expect such from friends. To Arabs, friends are a part of a symbiotic relationship that is based on potential gain and favor. Arabs want to know social, professional, and academic backgrounds and as well as age before he pursues any relationships. He uses that information to determine how much influence others have.
An Arab's view of the world is usually based on components of five concepts: atomism, fatalism, wish versus reality, extremism, and paranoia.
Atomism. Arabs tend to see events as isolated incidents rather than reactive. They often fail to see a causal chain between events. Their unwillingness to see larger themes can make Arab rhetoric appear illogical or irrational by Westerners who seek unifying concepts. When supplemented by a fatalistic attitude, it becomes extremely difficult to convince an Arab of the need for an overall plan to bring about a desirable end state.
Fatalism. Arabs usually believe that God, rather than humans, controls life. Contentment with blessings, tranquillity, and acceptance in hardship are a part of the Islamic tradition. This belief makes planning with Arabs extremely difficult, especially long-range planning, because they fail to see how men can control an outcome.
Wish versus Reality. Many Arabs tend to exaggerate. In their hyperbole, wish blends with reality. Even when reality cannot be denied, it is defined as God's will, unalterable by human beings. This tendency to blend ideals with reality makes Arab behavior seem illogical to Westerners. The ability to blend wish and reality explains how Arabs can live in an atmosphere of seeming contradiction. Their desire for modernity is contradicted by a desire for tradition, especially the Islamic tradition, which is free of Western identification and influence.
Extremism. The extreme environment in which Arabs have lived has influenced their perceptions. Arabs have come to see the world in its extremes. If a plan, project, or piece of equipment has a problem, then an Arab believes the entire plan, project, or piece of equipment is a failure. Americans working with Arabs need to use positive language and only point out situations that may be enhanced or improved.
Paranoia. Arabs may seem paranoid to Westerners. They see problems as plots against them. The Arab history of foreign domination and totalitarian governments may have caused this paranoia. It often means that Middle Easterners view Americans living in the Middle East as secret operatives. Family members may be suspected of plotting against other family members to get a job opportunity or spouse. The government is usually viewed as scheming against people for its own gain.
Arabs will forsake accuracy to maintain appearances and politeness. When an Arab is asked a question that requires a yes or no, such as, "Do you understand?" the Arab's preoccupation with appearances often requires that he answer "yes", whether true or not. To Arabs, a "no" signals an end of a relationship. To be polite, an Arab may say "no" by saying, "I'll see what I can do," no matter how impossible the task may be. After the Arab has been queried several times concerning his success, an answer of "I'm still checking" or a similar answer means "no." Such an indirect response also means, "I am still your friend, so I tried."
Arab families are often large. They are the basic unit of society and members are close. The father is the head of the family. Although mothers' activities may be limited to housework and caring for children, she may exercise considerable influence in the home. Few women work outside the home, but the number is increasing. All activities revolve around the family, and any achievement advances the reputation of the entire family. Families are a source of reputation and honor, as well as financial and psychological support.
The maintenance of family honor is valued highly in Arab society. Since misbehavior by women can do more damage to family honor than misbehavior by men, clearly defined patterns of behavior have been developed to protect women from situations that may give rise to false impressions or unfounded gossip. Westerners must be aware of the restrictions that pertain to contact between men and women and then consider their own appearance in front of others. Arabs quickly gain a negative impression of those who behave with too much familiarity with those of the opposite sex. A Western male should not approach an Arab woman to pursue a personal relationship.
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