Bloglet series 1 - the one about animal rights, books, and groceries

My previous model was that full length ideas would come here, and quick thoughts would go to Twitter (@rukeshr), but Twitter has now just become my medium to complain to companies when I get a bad experience. Plus the idea fragmentation isn't nice. So let me try posting quick thoughts here from now on. Will call them bloglets. Yes I know, super imaginative. Somewhere someone must be turning in their graves.

Thought 1: Did you know, 70 billion animals now exist as objects for human consumption, including 60 percent of all mammals on Earth. We find it easy to throw stones at people who lived in the 1700s, saying how could they have permitted slavery. We are no less guilty with what we do with factory farming of animals in this age. The conditions are HORRIBLE, and the numbers are STAGGERING (see 70 billion data point above). Racist, sexist...these are bad terms now. Speciesist needs to get there into the zeitgeist as well (discriminating on the basis of species, by allowing only humans to have rights). This is why I am turning vegetarian again, hoping to go vegan. Will be slightly flexible, but not a lot (e.g. if I am super confident that something is free range, then I might have it)

Thought 2: Human beings are the only animals capable of dramatically changing their software (believe I caught this idea from 'Sapiens'?). Your ideas, thoughts, beliefs...everything is upgradable. And reading books is the most efficient way to upgrade your mental software. Felt the full force of this when I recently read this mind altering book 'Being mortal' by Atul Gawande. Most great books do that. Haven't had that type of experience with TV / movies (even documentaries) / podcasts. And only rarely do interpersonal debates drive that type of software upgrade

Thought 3: For carrying groceries, use backpacks instead of purpose built reusable bags. Apparently reusable bags are making the problem worse (read here). My personal experience was that those totes / bags were darn inconvenient. Very little carrying capacity, poor ergonomics, and easy to forget. After some trial and error I landed on using my trusted backpack for groceries. Never played tennis to the extent I thought I would when I bought the backpack, but now it's super helpful. Carries twice or thrice what a tote would, is not a net new manufacture since I am reusing what I already had, and is easy to sling over my shoulders so I can do multiple chores while still having carrying capacity for groceries in the end. Can this become mainstream please?