Srinagar, Oct. 18 -- Humanity has advanced in science, technology and communication, but are we regressing in our ability to think, question and distinguish right from wrong? Across the world, politics, religion, nationalism and ideology are turning people into rival camps, each convinced of its own righteousness. The new rule seems brutally simple: my team must win, whatever the cost. Truth can be sacrificed, morality bent, laws ignored, and human suffering justified, as long as our side emerges victorious.

What happened to our conscience? When did loyalty become more important than integrity, and when did defending a leader become an excuse for abandoning our own principles? We no longer seem interested in asking whether our leaders ar...