By Arshid Qalmi

It’s heart-breaking to witness how societal rigidity and mental stagnation still pervade our schools, families, and public discourse. Across communities, we see how judgmental attitudes, prejudice, and jealousy quietly grow, not as isolated flaws, but as inevitable outcomes of deeper psychological and social constructions. Narrow-mindedness, fixed mind-sets, and inherited societal norms are the invisible chains that hold back not only individuals but also the progress of Kashmir.

Narrow-mindedness is not merely a lack of exposure to diversity; it is a conditioned resistance to it. In our schools, for example, students are too often discouraged from asking uncomfortable questions. In households, conformity is sometimes mistaken for respect. And in social circles, someone who dares to think differently is easily branded as rebellious. Such rigidity leaves little space for nuance or empathy and reinforces the tendency to judge others quickly, often harshly.

Closely tied to this is the fixed mind-set, the belief that intelligence, morality, or social value is fixed and unchangeable. This mind-set leads to a poisonous comparison culture where the success of others feels like a threat. If a student........

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