| It is extremely hard for many of us Iranian to accept | | | | is a complicated, contextual, and learned behavior |
| No as an answer. It is even harder for us to say No, | | | | that only we Iranian know its elements. |
| when we really mean No. | | | | Basically Taaroof means making an offer that is |
| We have to say Yes to things that we do not like. | | | | based on not taking no for an answer. Persuasion is |
| We say Yes because it is (sometimes) bad to say | | | | mainly involved in our Taaroof production. |
| No in our Iranian culture. For sure we have many | | | | Sometimes Taaroof make us to follow a double |
| situations in our culture that has one answer only: | | | | standard. From one side we do not want something, |
| "No". | | | | but on the other hand we have to pretend to like |
| Still, we Iranian have a deep tradition of making | | | | things or people. We are constantly making offers. |
| Taaroof, a notion that can be defined culturally, | | | | We ask people around us to do what we are asking |
| socially, politically, and even developmentally. If we | | | | them to do, whether it is about eating more food or |
| have a guest in our home we have to offer them | | | | from staying more after party is over. |
| food, drink, and entertainment. One great aspect of | | | | We have to stop this behaviour. It is not healthy ,it |
| our offer is due to our hospitality. We Iranian like to | | | | has never been. No should mean No, in every |
| share food. It is in our tradition and our values that | | | | situation. Do not make fake Taaroof. We do not |
| we have to invite people to come over for food. | | | | have to make Taaroof at all. Only if we really like to |
| However, we tend to judge one another based on | | | | do so and if we really mean it. On the other hand we |
| the amount or level of our Taaroof. | | | | should give people the freedom to say No, once |
| Why do we make Taaroof? The core topic as | | | | they do not like our offers. Wow, we are |
| Taaroof is a multidimensional part of our Iranian life | | | | complicated. |
| style and Iranian culture. I guess we will never be | | | | Poran Poregbal |
| able to analyze this phenomenon in-depth. Taaroof of | | | | Vancouver, B.C. |