A strange phenomenon encountered when attempting to cross an empty road, where right as you go to step out hundreds of cars suddenly show up and make you stand there waiting,

Named after the scenes in Tom & Jerry cartoons when they put a toe on the street and millions of cars rush by, they remove the toe and the street is quiet again.

A moment that is generally agreed to have had a significant influence on pop culture and everyday life. While the term was coined by Rose McGowan in context of the #MeToo movement, and is mostly associated with the K-pop community, the phenomenon is universal and a basic component of how culture works.

Real world events such as social/political movements, the election of a new U.S. President, major catastrophes and disasters, as well as entertainment such as movies, music and TV, can all function as cultural resets. Notable cultural resets in relatively recent memory include:

* The Beatles appearing on the Ed Sullivan show in 1964
* The Watergate scandal of 1974
* The release of Nevermind by Nirvana in 1991
* The September 11, 2001 attacks
* The election and inauguration of Barack Obama in 2009
* The COVID-19 pandemic

1. When someone sympathizes with the aggressor in a conflict because that party is getting hurt more, disregarding that they (the "Tom") have actually started the fight by attacking the "Jerry" and therefore deserve what they get.

2. Imposing unreasonably high moral standards on someone defending themselves from a violent attack, often as an excuse to support the attacker.