Is it to being polite with each other, and saying 你好我好大家好? I think that is politeness.
Is it to step in/up to help others when needed? I think it's friendship.
Is it to apple-polish others to get benefits or favors? I think that is sweet-talk.
But when I read this story in 北島's book, I was very moved and I'm very sure it is true humanity:
(Background: the story happened during 文革，in 北京四中, one of the best all-boy high schools at the time, the ages of the students there were all 18 and under).
"因寫中篇小說《晚霞消失的時候》而出名的劉輝宣（筆名禮平）回顧說：“那時我們學校（四中）有一個群眾組織叫’新四中公社‘。取巴黎公社之意，是我們的對立麵。他們當中有一個同學叫楊小青，和我們積怨甚深，見了麵就怒目而視。後來有一次外校的武鬥打進了我們學校，混戰中我陷入重圍（注：那時是會有生命危險的），楊小青拚著命將我救了出來。但事後我們見了麵還是怒目而視，管這叫‘堅持原則’。但我心裏卻尊重他，當時就敬重他 。。。”
With this type of humanity, what can't we overcome? ;-)
