Say No To Naysayers

Once again, skepticism is rippling through the valley. The renovation of a centuries-old sanctum, a small start-up promising new careers, and cultural celebrations bringing joy to our towns are met with raised eyebrows, murmurs of doubt, and the familiar sigh of,“this will never work.”

Critique has its place, of course. But it takes a different kind of courage to notice what is being built, to lean in, and to help shape it further.

Kashmir has always been a land of ideas and ambition. Its poets, artisans, and thinkers left their mark far beyond these mountains. That same spirit thrives today in young entrepreneurs refusing to confine themselves to government jobs, in communities nurturing small cultural projects, and in citizens finding ways to preserve heritage while embracing change.

But, reflexive naysaying often overshadows these acts of creation, reducing them to trivialities, or worse, dismissing them as attempts at patronization.

Criticism is easy. It costs nothing to point out flaws, mock optimism, or cast doubt on a new initiative. Kashmir has lived under critics for generations. What it urgently needs now are builders: people who see value and contribute to it.

True progress requires empathy, effort, and the willingness to engage, not just observe from the sidelines.

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