Animal Husbandry/ Factory farming

When Babe was released in the USA, it is reported that "activists around the country staked out movie theatres with flyers documenting the real life abuses of pigs".The film had a marked effect on the growth of vegetarianism, particularly among the young. It also promoted a more sympathetic view of the intellectual, emotional and social capacities of animals.James Cromwell became an ethical vegan as a result of starring as Farmer Hoggett, saying, "I decided that to be able to talk about this [movie] with conviction, I needed to become a vegetarian." In 1996 he went on to organize a vegetarian dinner for the Los Angeles homeless at a “Compassionate Christmas” event in order to reverse the barnyard view that "Christmas is carnage".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babe_(film)

Study Questions: 

 

1. How does Babe's ability to learn and adapt challenge traditional ideas about animals and intelligence?
2. What messages does the movie convey about sustainability and working with nature instead of against it?
3. In what ways does the movie promote kindness and compassion towards animals?
4. How does Babe's approach to farm life differ from the other animals, and what can we learn from this?
5. What are some examples of sustainable farming practices shown in the film?
6. How does the relationship between the farmer and the animals highlight responsible and ethical farming?
7. Which scenes in the movie illustrate the importance of teamwork and collaboration?
8. How does the movie portray the environment and natural resources on the farm?
9. What lessons about leadership and confidence can we learn from Babe's character?
10. How can we apply the themes of the movie to real-life agriculture and sustainability efforts today?

·         How is the life of Babe shown in the movie? Give a short plot outline of the film. What do those documentaries/videos tell us?

·         How is the life of animals in reality in mass husbandry and factory farming?

·         How can we achieve a more animal-friendly and sustainable agricultural production in Austria, Europe and world-wide?