Lemony Snicket:  Perhaps you 've been told never to shout " Fire " in a public place . When you shout " Fire , " and there is n't one , it can cause chaos . Of course , when you shout " Fire , " and there is one , it can cause chaos but also save lives . Still , there are times when shouting " Fire " can save lives , even when there is n't _ one _ . For example , you may be trapped in a motel room with your enemies waiting outside . Shouting " Fire " will cause the kind of chaos that will allow you to escape undetected . Therefore , the life it saves will be your own .