By
Ahmed Jalali
In recent days, Morocco has witnessed widespread
controversy surrounding the arrest or prosecution of several social media
content creators, particularly those active on "TikTok," under
charges related to "promoting triviality" (tafaha) or
"offending public values."
This term, "triviality" , has become frequent
in Moroccan and Arab public discourse, yet it carries profound philosophical,
cultural, and legal complexities that go beyond its seemingly simple,
colloquial surface meaning.
This campaign—or "movement"—would have appeared
ordinary in Morocco had it occurred months or years ago. However, for people to
sleep soundly and wake up to this news necessitates a careful, contextual
examination.
The context of this "movement" (with a silent
'r' in Arabic), naturally, coincides with social tensions caused by the
government's failed social policies, high unemployment, and poor public
services. This is compounded by the shockwave from the leaked video of the
"Ethics Committee" of the expired Provisional Committee for Press and
Publication Affairs, and the National Press Council, which has lost its credibility
since the end of its leadership's mandate two years ago.
This article will explore the concept of Triviality: its origins, who first
wrote about it, its sociological problems, and the limits of its use in courts
or public debate. We will also offer a critical reading of this concept's
relationship with human rights and freedom of expression, concluding with
practical suggestions to address the phenomenon without infringing upon
citizens' fundamental rights.
What is
the Concept of "Triviality"
Linguistically,
"Triviality" denotes contemptibility,
insignificance, and lack of value. Conceptually, it is a
multi-dimensional term referring to:
·
Superficial
content lacking depth or benefit.
·
Behavior
or discourse that society deems non-serious or inappropriate.
·
Activities
aimed only at sensationalism or attention-seeking without worthwhile substance.
However, triviality is not an entirely objective concept;
it is a "Social Construct."
Society itself determines what it considers "trivial" and
"important" based on its public taste, moral values, and historical
and cultural context.
Who First Wrote About Triviality Globally?
Although
the concept of triviality has existed since ancient philosophies, the Canadian
thinker Alain Deneault wrote about it
concerning media, as did several Arab intellectuals. However, Deneault's
contribution gained the most global recognition.
In his famous 2015 book, "La Médiocratie"
(The Mediocracy), Deneault argued that the world is experiencing a phase of "rule by the mediocre,"
not because people are mediocre, but because "economic, political, and
media systems systematically produce mediocrity."
Key ideas from his analysis include:
·
The
decline in the value of competence and expertise
in favor of rapid fame.
·
The
domination of light content over
culture and knowledge.
·
The
transformation of digital platforms into a market for views, not ideas.
Thus, according to Deneault, triviality is not merely a
problem of individuals but an entire social structure.
Triviality Between Taste and Cultural Differences
What
some consider trivial, others may find entertaining or amusing. Furthermore,
taste is influenced by age, environment, education level, and cultural
background—facts clear to anyone who has had the opportunity to immigrate or
travel and interact with different cultures.
·
For
instance, dancing or short comedy clips may be labeled "triviality"
by some intellectuals, but they are considered "legitimate
entertainment" by vast segments of the youth.
·
In
Western cultures, the law only criminalizes trivial content if it involves
violence or hate speech. The nature of the content
itself determines its success or failure, not state institutions.
·
In
some countries, the concept of triviality may be tied to religious or moral
values, while in others, it is used to impose restrictions on freedom of
expression within a political or class conflict.
Who
Judges Triviality?
This is
a critical question that probes the core of freedom and democracy: Who has the right to judge triviality? The
state, the judiciary, the conservative society, or the consuming public?
These questions make triviality a legally undefined
charge, thus open to interpretation and utilization according to the balance of
power and conflict.
When
Triviality Becomes a Legal Charge: Where Does Freedom of Expression Begin and
End?
Many
content creators in Morocco have faced charges related to "offending
public values," "indecency," or "promoting
triviality." However, the legal use of this term raises several issues,
including:
·
Lack
of a Specific Legal Definition: Moroccan
law does not explicitly state "triviality" as a crime, but it uses
broad terms open to flexible interpretation, such as offending public morals,
publishing inappropriate content, or harming family values. The problem is that
these concepts are not precisely regulated, making them subject to the judge's
discretion or public opinion pressures.
·
A
Human Rights Perspective argues that the
quality or benefit of content should not be the role of the state. The public
can decide who they watch and who they ignore, who they elevate to fame, or who
they consign to oblivion.
·
Closing
or restricting accounts should come from
the platforms themselves based on clear rules.
Is
Triviality a Crime or a Social Phenomenon?
Even if
we reject empty or poor-taste content, turning it into a criminal matter can
lead to irreversible outcomes: stifling creativity, creating
an unhealthy climate of fear among content creators, increasing self-censorship, diminishing
freedom of expression, and raising mistrust in state
institutions.
Triviality
as a Social Stigma
When we
describe someone as "trivial," we are not just describing their
content; we are enacting a social stigma that
undermines their dignity, diminishes their human value, and symbolically
excludes them from society.
Given these destructive effects, the public has an
inescapable right to question the state regarding:
·
The
Right to Expression.
·
The
Right to Participate in Cultural Life.
·
The
Right to Respect for Human Dignity.
·
The
Right to Difference.
Triviality and Selectivity
When
used arbitrarily, "triviality" can become a negative and dangerous
tool that leads to divisions within the social fabric by:
·
Becoming
a tool for demonizing specific segments
of society.
·
Being
used as a weapon to silence unwanted
voices.
·
Serving
as a deadly means to neutralize
competitors or the culturally different.
For example, a simple young person might be labeled
"trivial" for posting satirical clips, while similar content from
another person is overlooked due to political or social considerations.
Fame and Value
People
often mistakenly confuse a person's fame on platforms like "TikTok"
with their cultural and moral value.
However, the universality of human rights is not
tied to fame or cultural level because every individual has the right
to expression within clear and agreed-upon legal boundaries.
There is also a central question that few are willing to
discuss: Is triviality a cause or a result of other
factors?
In my opinion, triviality is not merely an
"individual choice"; it is a mechanical result of societal factors,
including:
·
Weak
education.
·
Limited
job opportunities.
·
Lack
of recreational alternatives.
·
Decline
in serious cultural production.
·
Dominance
of fast-paced content on digital platforms.
Under this logic, triviality is an accumulated product
and not always a crime in the traditional legal sense.
Resolving Issues Without Infringing Rights
Anyone
who has followed my opinions for over 25 years knows that I favor quality and
fight mediocrity whenever possible. My commitment to professional quality led
me to move between 10 institutions in Morocco and abroad and submit five
resignations without regret for the doors that slammed shut behind me or the
substantial salaries I considered less valuable than my principles.
But the bias towards quality must coexist with the victory for responsible freedom
with wider margins. Therefore, I propose the following brief ideas:
Instead of a punitive approach, Morocco—like many
countries—could adopt a comprehensive strategy that prioritizes: strengthening media literacy, introducing
specialized programs in education, protecting children from harmful content, distinguishing
between entertainment and harm, and supporting serious and beneficial content.
The Moroccan state, with its vast resources and legal,
administrative, and institutional capabilities, would not fail—if the political
will were present—to achieve all of the above and more by funding purposeful cultural
initiatives, supporting and mentoring creative content creators, and
revitalizing the frozen official media pole to produce respectful
educational, documentary, and entertainment programs, involving educators,
sociologists, and a large group of intellectuals in this national project that
concerns both the present and the future.
Furthermore, instead of arresting individuals, the state
could impose clear rules on the platforms rather than pressuring its citizens.
For example, Morocco has the right to oblige TikTok and YouTube to adhere to
clear policies regarding offensive content.
If I were a Moroccan legislator, I would nationalize
certain terms that are untranslatable in our local environment by relying on
imported concepts. For example, if I were a judge, I would prefer to rule in
such cases based on the concept of "Qillat Al-Haya" (Lack of Shamelessness/Indecency) instead of resorting
to the vague concept of "triviality."
If I were among legislqtors, I would not complicate the
issue. Instead, I would suggest expanding the concept of triviality slightly to
include and criminalize the actions of those who should be taken to courts and
then to prisons:
·
Whoever
corrupts public media with "showy, low-quality" policies and
squanders billions of public funds for them is trivial and deserves
punishment.
·
Whoever
transforms politics—centrally, locally, or regionally—from a public service
into a cash cow for themselves and their unworthy offspring is trivial, son of a trivial person, and his
grandfather is the leader of the trivial, and should be condemned
and imprisoned.
·
Whoever
lies to Moroccans with their electoral promises and fulfills nothing is a great trivial person who must be
severely and decisively held accountable because he trivialized political life
and made the people distrust their nation.
·
Every
corrupt, thieving, rogue, deceitful, manipulative, fraudulent, oppressive,
influence-peddler, and abuser of power... is trivial, son of a trivial
person. We will become a trivial Morocco, people and state, if we do
not restrain them with the whips of the law. Period.