The ending to director Robert Altman’s funny, brutal, bone-chilling satire from 1975, “Nashville,” one the greatest movies of all time. The scene starts right after the assassination of a Loretta Lynn-inspired Country singer and a wannabe singer played by Barbara Harris is given the mic to restore order and peace in the wake of a horrific tragedy. Some critics have opined that this scene is a cynical statement on celebrity, but I see it as something more profound. When tragedies happen, whether they be celebrity assassinations (i.e. John Lennon) or something substantially more catastrophic (9/11), people need hope. People need to know that things are going to be OK. It’s too easy to sneer and snicker that the world is a horrible place, that humans are horrible motherfu–ers who only look after themselves. The notion and belief that there is a better way is way ballsier, in my mind. If you feel this is a Pollyanna-esque view, I disagree and feel sorry for you. Making the decision to believe in something is not a fool’s errand. If you’ve done your homework and take a stand, it’s the most courageous thing you can do.