Hollywood built its first studio in 1919 — almost 100 years ago. Since then, Hollywood has grown into a beacon of entertainment and has created movies to appeal to all types of people.

 

One franchise, “The Fast and the Furious,” has arguably been more than just a series of movies. It has been a cultural phenomenon that focuses as much on racing fast cars as it does on family and values. We can look to these movies as examples to reconnect with the values we may have lost.

 

Truthfully, “The Fast and Furious” franchise can be ridiculous. But it’s important to consider why the team does so many crazy stunts. They do it because they are a family — through thick and thin. 

 

In 2015, America has been moving away from family values. We are individualistic by nature. While this is not necessarily a bad thing, we can take steps to ensure that we have a balance of individualism and collectivism. 

 

By embodying the traits that the characters in “The Fast and Furious” movies do, we will learn a lot about ourselves. We can hope to become less greedy and 

more gracious. 

 

Practicing more gratitude can only be a good thing in this time of turmoil. We can look to these movies’ actors as radicals who can inspire cultural change. We can learn to accept people for who they are, no matter what their background may be. After all, one of the main plotlines is that an ex-cop, who is a Caucasian male, becomes a prolific street racer.

 

It might seem outlandish to take cues from a movie. But take Selma, for example, which reminded the American people not to repeat their past.

 

Just remember, Hollywood isn’t all about smoke and mirrors.