Optimism is not passé
By Quatrina Hosain (She also hosts a show on Express 24/7) Cynicism should be the purview of a few select few, whose jobs require them to take everything with a pinch of salt — like traffic policemen, bank loan officers and debt collectors. But when did cynicism become a national characteristic? And why are we so angry all the time? And sadly, it is the younger generation that seems to be the most jaded, angry and cynical of us all. As a teenager, I took my identity as a Muslim and as a Pakistani for granted. Yet today, almost every young person I meet is looking to define their identity — an identity they feel is under threat and they feel obligated to defend. It all changed on 9/11. A group of 19 hijackers split the world irrevocably into two camps, best exemplified by George Bush’s infamous “either you are with us or against us” speech. Never mind that all 19 hijackers were Arabs. It was Afghanistan that housed Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda. But today Pakistan is considered to be t...