Srinagar, Oct 4: Author Rashida Kouser’s newly released third book, The Cost of Modernity, explores how the experiences of children, parents and families are changing in today’s modern world, particularly under the growing influence of digital technology and online exposure. The book examines how this changing environment, along with modern lifestyles and social pressures, is influencing childhood, parenting, family relationships and the connection between parents and children.
A major focus of the book is distracted parenting and its impact on children. Rashida reflects on how modern pressures, technology, social influences and increasing distractions can affect children’s attention, emotional connection, values and overall development. At the same time, the book looks beyond these challenges to explore what parents can do to remain conscious, present and responsible in a rapidly changing world.
The book also explores these concerns from a moral and human perspective, asking how society can preserve humanity, empathy, compassion, responsibility and moral values while moving forward with modernity. It emphasises the importance of nurturing these values in children so that they are not lost with changing times but are instead carried forward to coming generations. Through this perspective, The Cost of Modernity seeks to encourage conscious parenting and contribute to building a more humane, responsible and morally grounded society.
For Rashida, the book is deeply personal. Her journey through motherhood inspired her to write it and encouraged her to look more deeply into parenting, childhood and the differences between generations. Her childhood experiences, observations and years of research further shaped the book, bringing together personal experience and wider reflection on the changing realities of family and society.
The Cost of Modernity continues the wider purpose reflected in Rashida’s previous works, which explored the journeys, voices and rights of Muslim women and sought to bring these issues to wider recognition beyond geographical boundaries. With this third book, her focus expands towards children, parenting, family values and the kind of society that can be shaped for future generations.
Coming from the remote village of Lolab, Rashida has developed an authorial journey with an international outlook. Her three books have reached readers beyond Kashmir, reflecting her belief that a writer’s voice should not be limited by geographical boundaries.
For Rashida, the purpose of The Cost of Modernity goes beyond identifying the challenges of modern life. It is an invitation to parents and society to pause, reflect and recognise their responsibility in shaping the future. By preserving humanity and moral values and passing them on to the next generation, the book hopes to contribute to a future where progress and modernity can exist alongside human connection, compassion, values and responsibility.
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