Srinagar, Nov. 20 -- Life in Kashmir has grown heavier over the years. Economic uncertainty, political tension, and social expectations touch every part of daily life. For young people, even stepping out of the valley for studies or work at times feels risky.

After the recent Delhi suicide attack, I saw friends hesitate and reconsider journeys that once seemed simple. Profiling, stereotyping, and suspicion have become routine. Fear now shapes decisions that used to depend on ambition or curiosity.

From my perspective as someone who studies society, this feels like what Emile Durkheim called excessive regulation.

When expectations, scrutiny, and moral pressures pile up, people shrink under the weight. I see young Kashmiris caught betwe...