By Ren Sheng (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-05-09 07:23

The national flags, their red color shining, swung across the dormitory of the Beijing Institute of Technology. The students had put up the flags to demonstrate their patriotism.

That was what the caption said about the picture that caught my attention on an online news site. It made me feel good - about the country, about us, but more, about our young people.

Hours later, it was another scene, this time a real one, on the street not far from my office. And, it did not make me feel good. In fact, it made me feel rather bad and more important, made me ask questions - about us, our society, and especially, about our young people.

As I and my colleagues were passing by a dormitory on the campus that is opposite to our office building, a taxi ran over a girl's foot and her thermos lay smashed beside her.

To our surprise, the passers-by, all of whom had watched the accident, just kept walking their ways. Nobody stopped. The biggest surprise was the students, none of whom came forward to rescue the girl.

We hurried to the taxi, urging the driver to pull back his car. The girl knelt down and could not move at all, saying her foot was numb.

We helped her into the taxi. She called her roommate after the driver promised to take her to hospital.

Her polite inquiry to her friend befuddled us even more: Are you in the room now? Are you free this afternoon? Ok... I was hit by a car. Could you accompany me to hospital?"

About 15 minutes later, her roommate finally came downstairs.

Honestly speaking, if I were hit when I was at college, I would frankly ask for my roommates' help and my roommate would rush down to help me, no matter what.

When the car left, the twentysomethings even did not look at us, let alone wave a "bye bye" or "thanks".

On our way back to the office, my colleagues and I could not help discussing the incident and expressing our shock at the way the young people behaved.

We felt so lost and intrigued especially because the incident was such a contrast to the strong shows of patriotism that young people have displayed since the Western media's biased reports about China.

Everyday when I use my Windows Live Messenger, many "red hearts" come before the names to greet me.

Young netizens have strongly condemned the biased Western coverage, and some have called for boycotts of foreign products.

I have no doubt whatsoever that the young people, those college students included, love their country. I cannot say that those college students have cold hearts. What I cannot understand is how such young people can be so indifferent to what happens to other students, even to their roommates.

On the subway, I often notice young people sitting with their eyes closed, while old people standing next to them.

Much as we cherish the young people's love for our country, shouldn't we also expect them to love and care for other members in society?

Love for the country should not be only a slogan. We need to see this in action - in our love and concern for our classmates, our colleagues, our neighbors, and even to people we may not personally know.

That is the way to build a harmonious society. That is also the way to make our country more united.

(China Daily 05/09/2008 page8)