The Right to Know What We Consume

Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz fought fiercely for the right to intellectual knowledge, arguing that ignorance serves oppression. This concept applies her philosophy to ethical consumption: we cannot make just choices without understanding what we buy. Knowing a garment's origin, a product's supply chain, or labor conditions behind our food transforms consumption from passive acceptance into informed participation. Like Sor Juana's defense of women's right to education, demanding transparency in commerce reclaims agency and dignity. Ethical consumption begins when we insist on knowledge—refusing the comfortable ignorance that allows exploitation. This right to know bridges intellectual justice and economic justice, making every purchase an opportunity for conscious choice aligned with our values and commitments to human dignity.