Opinion | Educated but Careless: The Missing Civic Sense in Our Daily Life

The Small Habits that shape a big society. Civic sense is a mindset. It’s about understanding how your actions big or small affect others. It’s about creating an environment where everyone can move, work, and live without unnecessary obstacles.

If we start with small acts checking in our bags, disposing of litter properly, respecting public health measures we can shift the culture from self-centered to community-centered We often take pride in calling ourselves educated. We have degrees, we clear exams, we move ahead in life. But if we pause for a moment and look at how we behave every day, one question quietly comes up—are we really educated in the way that actually matters?

Civic sense is not something new to us. We’ve all read about it in school. We’ve heard people talk about it many times. Still, when it comes to real life, it somehow doesn’t reflect in our actions. Just walk through any street, market, or even our famous tourist places—you’ll understand. Wrappers on roads, plastic bottles near rivers, people breaking traffic rules without even thinking twice.

Places like Gulmarg and Pahalgam are known for their beauty, but after a busy day, you can clearly see litter around. It’s not always outsiders—locals are equally responsible. And what’s worrying is that many of these people are educated. That’s where it feels strange. We know things, but we don’t follow them.

In our daily lives too, it’s the same story. People don’t stand in queues, especially in hospitals or busy shops. Honking continues even when there is no need. Some throw garbage from car windows as if it’s nothing. You’ll also notice walls scribbled on, public spaces not being respected, and parks not being kept clean. Slowly, all this has become so common that we don’t even react anymore. If we think about it, there are reasons behind this. Many times, we just follow what others are doing. If one person throws garbage, the next person doesn’t hesitate. There’s also this mindset that public places are not “ours,” so why bother taking care of them? And when there are no strict consequences, people become even more careless. It’s not that we don’t know what’s right—we just don’t take it seriously.

This problem is not limited to us. Across the world, studies have shown that a large amount of littering is actually intentional—people knowingly do it. At the same time, many people are not even bothered by dirty surroundings because they assume someone else will clean it. That attitude is where things start going wrong.

The impact of this behavior is bigger than we think. It affects cleanliness, health, traffic, and even how a place is seen by others. In many cities, a huge number of traffic violations happen every day simply because people ignore basic rules. We see similar things around us too—traffic jams not just because of roads, but because of how people drive, block, or rush without patience.

Tourist spots lose their charm, not because they are not beautiful, but because we don’t take care of them. Public spaces get damaged soon after they are built. And then we complain about the system.

But honestly, change here is not very complicated. Civic sense is about small things. Using a dustbin. Waiting for your turn. Letting an ambulance pass without delay. Not making unnecessary noise. Just being a little more mindful. These are simple habits, but they matter more than we realise.

Real education is not just about marks or degrees. It shows in how we treat people, how we use shared spaces, and how responsible we are in public. Without that, education feels incomplete.

If we really care about our society and about Kashmir, we have to start with ourselves. It’s easy to blame authorities, but the truth is, change begins at an individual level. Small actions, repeated every day, can slowly make a difference.

There are individuals who take responsibility people who pick up litter even when it isn’t theirs, who patiently follow queues, and who treat public property as their own. Their behavior demonstrates that civic sense is not enforced; it is internalized.On the other hand, there are frequent lapses. Littering in public places, ignoring basic traffic discipline, and damaging public infrastructure reveal a gap between awareness and action. What stands out is that the issue is rarely about lack of knowledge rather, it is about attitude and accountability.

One important lesson from this experience is that civic sense is contagious. Positive behavior often encourages others to follow, just as negligence can spread quickly. This highlights the role of individuals as catalysts for change. A single responsible act can influence many.

In the end, being educated should not just mean knowing things—it should mean doing the right things, even when no one is watching. Civic sense is not something extra. Every mindful choice matters.It’s basic and maybe it’s time we stop talking about being educated and start showing it through our behavior.

Email ID: bintez566@gmail.com