In Morocco, Those Who Enjoy Solitude Can Face Judgment
Reading, drawing or having tea alone can be a pleasure. But in Morocco, this need for quiet is not always understood. Testimonies collected for a study describe the pressure felt by those who enjoy spending time alone.
In the evening, one person interviewed watches a film or draws in silence. These moments help them recharge. “I feel fulfilled, not empty,” they explain. For others, being alone means being able to organize their free time as they wish, without a conversation to maintain or expectations to meet.
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This chosen solitude features in the Annecy Behavioral Science Lab report on Morocco. The researchers analyze interviews with fifty adults as part of a study on social relationships and solitude conducted in eight countries.
Several participants, however, say their preference for quiet draws comments. One person explains that those who prefer to keep to themselves are sometimes considered strange or distant. Another regrets that choosing to spend time alone is interpreted as a sign of sadness or illness.
In these accounts, being sociable also becomes a way to prove that one is warm, generous or attached to others. One participant describes it almost as a “good behavior test”: the more relationships one maintains, the better one is perceived.
Being available as proof of affection
These expectations take concrete forms: attending weddings and funerals, going to Friday couscous, and responding when a loved one asks for help. One person sums up this logic in a few words: “Being present is love.”
Others find it difficult to be so available. One participant feels that people around them sometimes expect them to show up without taking into account what they themselves are going through. Another describes how difficult it is to set boundaries without being seen as cold or arrogant.
The interviews, however, clearly distinguish between seeking quiet and painful isolation. Some participants suffer from not being understood when they are among others, while still enjoying moments without company. One person says they find peace in silence and pleasure in doing what they want.
Another describes having morning tea by the window at sunrise. The street is still asleep, and the birds are beginning to stir. They are completely alone and feel perfectly at peace.
