For generations, Kashmir measured success differently. Parents wished for secure employment for their children, a peaceful home, good education, respect within the community, and the ability to live with dignity. A teacher, farmer, artisan, government employee, shopkeeper, or orchard owner was not considered ordinary in a dismissive sense. Each represented stability, purpose and contribution to society. Today, that understanding is quietly disappearing.

Without any official policy or public debate, expectations have risen beyond what most people can realistically achieve. Every student must become a topper. Every entrepreneur must build a start-up. Every professional must become an influencer. Every achievement must be displayed online. Every life must appear extraordinary.

For many young Kashmiris, success is no longer defined by meaningful work but by visibility. Social media has transformed comparison into a daily habit. Reality is constantly competing with carefully edited versions of other people’s lives.This pressure exists alongside........

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