Hey everyone!

Just looking for some advice. My 14 year old omnivore son enjoys some of my vegan foods, but thinks being a vegetarian is "not cool." I am curious what other people think about exposing a 14 year old child to the movie "Earthlings" to show him what really happens to the animals he eats. Is this inappropriate for his age, I myself had a difficult time watching it. Or is the truth important enough for a teenager to see? I am very open with him about everything; sex, drugs, etc. He is a very well rounded, honor-roll student. thanks for your thoughts.

The Meatrix (http://www.themeatrix.com) is a cartoon that tells the story of factory farming in a way that's not so difficult to watch but does get the point across.

14 years old? At 14, I'm pretty sure I could have handled it; not to say earthlings is not extremely difficult to watch. However, some kids are more sensitive than others...

I saw what really happens at much younger than 14.

honestly, old enough to choose to eat meat, old enough to know where it came from.

I agree with this.

I think fourteen is absolutely old enough to learn that what's right isn't always what's cool or popular. Yes, it's a very upsetting film, but I think he'll be okay. It wouldn't be like traumatizing a young child with it.

I think 14 is certainly old enough. My 11 year old has seen it

It's disturbing at any age but everyone should see it.

pretty much.

14 is old enough to see footage like that

I was 14 when I went vegan and similar footage online. Obviously it's going to be unsetting, but I don't think it would be more upsetting to a 14 year old, except that your son might be a bit more open-minded than if he was older - which definitely wouldn't be a bad thing.

I still need to finish watching this show myself.

I think 14 is old enough to start watching in pieces and explaining and talking through out the movie, pick a few weeks you want to take at least 10 mins of each part of the movie and show it to him.
I do agree with the meatrix to show first to get him an idea what he is going to be watching.
I had watched more wicked stuff at my early teens I went from MTV too Scary Movies too right to playboy channel ETC because i was curious but, I was learning that it was bad so I stopped viewing but, each child is different and teen is different.

I agree that 14 is old enough to at least watch portions of the movie. I'm a 15 year old girl and I saw similar videos online when I was 12, which led to me becoming a vegetarian. Yes, the videos were unsettling. Yes, they even made me cry a little. However, I agree with the statement that if you're eating meat, you should know where it comes from. I feel that if I hadn't actually seen some of the real footage of what goes on with animals, rather than just reading about how horrible it was, I would be nowhere near as strong in my vegetarian ethical convictions today.

Considering that the average 14-year-old sees graphic violence on TV and in movies all the time, I'd say showing them Earthlings is fine.

I think age 14 is old enough to show some graphic images of animal abuse, so long as it's done with parental consent and the child is a mature 14, not an immature 14.

However, it seems that the problem here is more about what your son thinks is cool. Does your son stand up for human rights even when he understands the issue well and knows he will be perceived as "uncool"? If not, then showing him Earthlings won't be enough to encourage him to go vegetarian or vegan.

I think a better strategy is to find vegetarian and vegan celebrities and athletes that your son admires. Casually show your son articles about these individuals where it mentions they are veg. And find some real life veg role models too. For example, there's a good chance your son might think that some of the vegans who leaflet at the Warped Tour are cool. Or maybe your son would like Gary Yourofsky. Perhaps you could arrange for your son to meet some "cool vegetarians."

Men who are vegan:
http://vimeo.com/26718309

I think you should watch it together, and talk it through. You should DEFINITELY debrief with him afterwards, maybe even more than once. (Check back a day or two later and see if he is unsettled or if he has any questions). I think that you know best whether he could handle it, and if you watch it with him you can monitor how he is taking it and pause it for discussion if necessary.

I think that some other videos, like Meet your Meat and that kind of thing are helpful, too. Earthlings is by far the most profound though.

Oh! And you could tell him that eating meat can contribute to erectile dysfunction later in life... that's not very "cool", now is it??

LOL. Totally spit up my water reading that. Note to self: stop reading VB while drinking. Not good for keyboard.

I have a 16 year old son and would never ask him to watch this. I had to skip parts because it was so horrific.

Graphic violence rarely makes you rethink your living style and moral values however.

Speak for yourself.

At 14 I was sitting at the killing gate of a slaughter house watching the slaughtermen do their work.

Don't think that 14 is too old to watch a film.

It's only useful purpose is to do exactly that. If it doesn't, you have most likely been exposed to too much and are experiencing desensitisation - not a good state to be in.

High IQ Children Become Vegetarian Adults

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/59220.php

I saw similar footage at 14, and it changed my life.

In a way, it has been mentally scarring - I still vividly remember it. But it's a good thing, in my books.

This.

I had seen 'Meet your meat' at 11. The internet introduces you to all sorts of things...

I became vegetarian a month after I turned 15, and shortly after I saw meet your meat and a bit of earthlings. I think it's fine for someone that old to watch, to see the truth of how awful the industry is. I think many people can only begin to understand by visually seeing it in something like meet your meat to communicate the message. I was already veg when I saw footage, but it helped reinforce and convince me to not care about what my parents and friends said to do what was right.

However, I think meet your meat is better to watch than earthlings. Earthlings just made me depressed, although its powerful. Meet your meat has a better balance of power, information, and emotion.

I get by.

14, IMO, is young adulthood. If he can't handle it now, he never will. Let him grow up. Show him the film.