Recent movies and TV shows are centering hopeful, uplifting messages underlining the importance of human values, kindness, and staying positive. Optimistic narratives tend to become prominent when our culture is collectively feeling anguish or lacking in hope. These stories model that hope for us, while also challenging us to address the difficult situations in our own lives so we can improve them. Here’s our Take on why tough times require relentless optimism (onscreen and off) to show us how to process despair and break down our pessimistic walls.