What's more, the online response to this foreigner says a lot about the culture in which people have come of age here, one that discourages the individual from standing up, apart from the crowd, over any topic. After all, such an action is inherently one of defiance and protest, which, as many readers understand, are highly contentious actions in China.

The foreign male in the pictures that circulated on the Internet is clearly a Caucasian male. He may have come from any of the world's countries, but the fact that he is sporting a bicycle helmet also points that is he is either from Europe or North America - two regions in the world where helmet-wearing has been mandated in many major urban centers. That would suggest that he was raised in a culture in which the individual is highly prized, fostering the development of an environment in which people can freely exercise their rights to speak out, raise their voices, take a stand, etc. His act is not considered abnormal in his cultural paradigm. In his mind, he would surely be greeted with support from witnesses who were also tired of having their cycling rights rolled over by vehicle tires. By extension, he likely did not consider his act one of bravery; it was an act of responsibility.

Except for the anonymous flutter of positive feedback that netizens gave him, the cyclist pictured in the images did not draw a crowd. Only one other cyclist is seen in the pictures, and she is definitely not applauding; she is staring on incredulously. His action seems not to have inspired a coalition with other passersby or fellow cyclists. He was simply being very "foreign" in their eyes, nothing more.

One netizen even went so far as to suggest that he was interfering with Chinese policy, a suggestion that comes close to whispering that he ought to "go home." Here we can see that such mirror-holding that foreigners like this man have a tendency to unwittingly do via their natural behavior is often seen as invasive, critical and unnecessarily righteous by Chinese people. Thus, a continued "othering" occurs: the act of separating the two cultures and seeing the whole situation through an "us vs. them" lens rather than through a human lens.

I argue that this cyclist's act should be appraised independent of his nationality. If it were approached in such a way, Chinese people might reconsider their roles to be not just those of citizens of an existing, pre-established community, but as the very creators of the type of community of which they choose to be a part. That takes the willingness to believe that every person - every individual - can influence positive change for the whole. That takes bravery - the human kind.

The author is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit: http://www.ccgp-fushun.com/opinion/emberswift.htm

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.