Some of those who voted yes had this to say:
• Every Naga will agree that we all want Change. Who wants to live like this. The world is progressing but the Nagas are only digressing. Yes, a change in mindset is desirable. But this is not so easy. The education system in Nagaland needs to change, our Church leaders need to broaden their understanding of Christianity, our politicians need to start thinking about the people, our bureaucrats need to start working for the people and not just themselves, our Goanboras need to start respecting women as equals and our Naga underground fighters need to start building the society rather than tearing it down. So, yes a change in mindset is required.
• Yes, absolutely! It's time we move along with the rest of the world. Clutching on our history too much will only hurt us. Our mindsets are still in the mid 20th century, which has denied the Nagas to live the present and i am sure if we continue the same way, than the future is going to be missed. Give us a break from history, allow us to live life to the fullest. After all we don't see any silver lining in our fight for sovereignty. To all the Naga leaders, i say, stop playing politics, we're extremely fed up! let's come to the reality of the 21st century. (Give a thought over this!)
• Any slight indication of change in attitude will mean a sea change in the mindset making Nagaland a less intimidation free state with quality of the highest order.
• Sure, good mindset takes you to a better direction
• Yes, definitely!! And we don't need a drastic change of mindset, we only need to inculcate some civic sense in us, selfless and biasless attitude, but the BIG problem is - Can it happen in the near future or for that matter, in the farthest future??
• Nagas are really stuck up in the past. Everywhere you hear people only talking about the past and how they feel hurt and torn apart by the past. But rarely do you ever hear a Naga talk about the future. Nagas need to talk more about the future, because what we speak is what we become. Talking about the past is only filling our hearts with anger, hate and feelings for revenge, but if we start thinking, feeling and living the future, than we can be more compassionate to each other.
• Change means towards the openness to the society welfare development. Not corruption and evil thoughts by telling Nagaland for Christ.
• Nagas desperately need a change in our mindset and way of thinking. We are too full of tribalism and we think about the interest of our own family and tribe. How then can Nagas progress and develop. Nagas are too arrogant, we need to humble ourselves and learn how to take criticism. Nagas think we are always right, but when we look around us, it looks like we are the fools. Nagas really need to change our mindset and be more open to new ideas and new ways of thinking.
• Change of mindset will be likened to open sesame into building an egalitarian, peaceful and progressive society of where there is an equal right and opportunity and responsibility for all and sundry of Nagas as per one’s capability and limitation. But unless more than anything else, the core issue of the widening gulf between haves and have nots as a result of pungently pervasive corruption is seriously addressed and severely dealt with by getting to the bottom of it without being let up, the end result will be no better than going in circles. Changing the attitude of our fellow Nagas particularly the older ones is (gosh!) a difficult challenge but with time, patience and concerted perseverance, Yes we can and don’t tell me I am a dreamer as we will come together to unitedly build the aforesaid society we would love to have. So let’s be the change we all want to see by laying the foundation of it by now.
Some of those who voted NO had this to say:
• I have not seen any Nagas doing better or going forward with a change mindset. Old habits diehard. We Nagas always go back to our own vomit. Maybe 1 or 2 wants to work with a different mindset but they will be drag down by those majority who still have the old school thought. Our present generation may find it difficult to work with a new mindset but I’m pretty confident that after 10 years it will be different.
• Not really. Nagas need more than a change in mindset. We need honesty, integrity and selflessness. These are values that are already inherent in the Naga value system, but somewhere down the road we seem to have misplaced them. So its now time to find them and make them our priority.
• Not all things in our present Naga mindset is negative. There are many things that are still positive and can contribute to society. I dont think it is about changing mindset. How can we just change mindset. But yes, we should change our attitude towards work and life in general. Nagas are becoming too complacent with wrong doings, this should change. Our politicians and bureaucrats and church leaders need to change their attitude towards the Naga public. We cant change our mindset, but we can change our attitude.
• State politicians and bureaucrats keep telling the people to change their mindset. This is very funny, because it is they, the politicians and big shots and bureaucrats who need to humble themselves and change their mindset. Its their mindset that it leading Nagaland to disaster.
• I believe the Nagas will never learn to change their way of thinking. No body can teach them.
• I dont think people are ready to change their mindset at all. Just look at the state of affairs in Nagaland. Its getting from worse to worse. People are tired and there is nothing new to hope for. There is no leader in Nagaland who can lead the people for the better. If there was a strong leader, than who knows, people may just willingly do what is necessary to make Nagaland a better place to live in.
• If only the Angamis in Kohima, Semas in Dimapur think that their ways of life can be changed for the better, then only will Nagas go forward.
• Our mindset is a result of the environment that we live in. The environment in Nagaland is full of pessimism, suspicion, anger, corruption, laziness and violence and so this negative environment effects the Naga mindset. It is not possible to change our mindset is nothing is done about the environment which influences our mindset. Nagas must first do something about the environment in which we live and than I am sure even our mindset will change for the better.
• Will a change in mindset remove all corruption and nepotism in Nagaland? No, it will not because those who are rich and powerful are expecting the poor and the helpless to change their mindset, while they remain comfortably numb in their own mindset. This is pure double standard. Why should only the poor and helpless change their mindset. If the Naga mindset is to be changed, than the rich and powerful should change their mindset first. Is it not because of them that corruption, nepotism and all kinds of evil are taking place in Nagaland?
Some of those who voted OTHERS had this to say:
• Mindset cannot be changed, but mindset can grow and it can mature. Its like a fruit, when a fruit is growing, how can you ask the fruit to change, but yes it can grow to its ripeness. Mindset is something like that. The Naga mindset is here to stay but there is plenty of room to grow into something much more than what it is today. The Naga mindset has grown since the time of our grandfathers. The more the Naga mindset grows, the clearer and better the Naga direction will become.
• Who is going to change whose mindset? Only when Nagas start reading books, giving a patient listening to other people, watching other cultures and civilization, learning from our own mistakes, learning to take criticisms in the right spirit, not turning to violence every time we disagree with someone else, learning to speak out the truth, learning to be Christ like, only after all these things, will we Nagas be able to change our mindset.
• There is no other option but for Nagas to learn how to change. Our mindset, attitude and behavior has to change not for the sake of changing, but it has to change for the better. At this rate, Nagas will be left far behind and we will have nothing to leave for our children. Nagas really need to wake up. Its time.
