Two people. Each standing on the opposite side of a wide river.
They can almost make each other out from such a distance.
Both have figured that it is another person on the other side of the river but can't quite see them fully.
They try to communicate.
Yelling? Ineffective as no matter how much one yells the other cannot hear
Signals? You have to understand the meaning behind the signal to understand what the other is saying.
Each thinks, what to do? what to do?
Eventually one of them starts building something on their bank. The other one watches curiously. 
That person continues to build while the other watches. 
A little while later, the one watching figures it out and starts building on their bank.
They both continue to build until eventually they meet in the middle. They chat, get to know one another and eventually embrace before they part ways.
A while later, two other people on the opposite sides of a wide river notice each other and notice that they can now simply walk over to each other and get to know one another

A house, with a family inside of it, is set ablaze. People gather and start screaming "fire! Fire! The house is on fire!!"

Scenario 1:
Everyone keeps shouting "Fire!" The house burns down. The family dies. 
People look shocked and start the "why the heck hasn't anyone done anything?" And direct the blame and their fingers at whoever they deem is responsible for not rescuing the family.
Scenario 2:
Crowd shouts "Fire!" One person rushes into the burning house
Scenario 2.1: said person gets stuck in the house and dies with the family. People hail him as a courageous man/woman and are deeply saddened by the tragedy but feel inspired by the courage of the selfless person who ran into the burning house.
Scenario 2.2: said person rescues the family and is hailed a hero by the gathered crowd. Emboldened by his/her courage they run into the next burning building and scenario 2.1 is the inevitable probability.
Scenario 3: a person watches the house burn, crowd scream at him/her "Do something! Do something!" But he/she continues to watch the house burn. Then at a seemingly sudden moment he/she runs into the burning house and emerges a few minutes later with the family. House burns down. 
Some within the crowd hail said person a hero while others blame him/her for not jumping in right away and rescuing the family sooner and potentially saving the house from burning down. Said person, unbeknownst to most, took a calculated risk but needed time to make the calculations and ensure safety for all.
Moral of the scenarios?
Most people will look at you and expect you to do something while they themselves are complacent. Don't be like them. Also, don't Jump into the burning house because it could spell your demise. Be wise and understand inherent risks and potential benefits and your courage will end up benefiting others.
Oh and, don't be the (_____) that sets the house on fire in the first place.