Justice as the Foundation of Every Transaction

Sor Juana lived within systems of profound injustice—gendered limitations on intellectual life, colonial hierarchies, religious authority wielded oppressively—and her work consistently engaged questions of justice and rights. She understood that knowledge itself is a justice issue. This principle extends directly to consumption: every transaction involves justice questions. Who produced this good? Were they paid fairly? Did they work in safe conditions? What environmental justice costs were externalized? Was child labor involved? Are indigenous rights respected? Viewing consumption through a justice lens transforms it from personal preference into ethical responsibility. It's not about individual moral purity or virtue signaling; it's about recognizing complicity in systemic injustice and making choices that resist rather than perpetuate exploitation. This framework suggests that ethical consumption isn't optional or supplementary—it's foundational. We cannot claim commitment to justice while deliberately supporting unjust systems through our purchases. Justice must be woven into every transaction.