Srinagar, Aug. 23 -- Our society appears to be going through a troubling inversion of values. In a healthy society, respect is earned through character, knowledge, service, hard work, integrity and meaningful contribution. Yet increasingly, recognition seems to be moving away from substance and towards visibility. Influence becomes more important than integrity, wealth begins to resemble merit and a carefully created public image can sometimes matter more than years of genuine work. We increasingly see people who have contributed little or nothing meaningful to social welfare, environmental responsibility, community development or nation-building receiving disproportionate attention and admiration. At the same time, many individuals who q...