NGM Thoughts 14: Sinecure

I learnt a new word this weekend:

Sinecure – a position requiring little or no work but giving the holder status or financial benefit. From Latin sine cura, ‘without care’.

Is this not a beautiful word for privilege?! Those who know me know that I stand 6'8 (or 5'20 as I like to joke), and based on numerous studies, my height alone should give me a leg up over the course of my career as a ‘leader,’ without a care from me.

In sessions we run through Equity Leaders on privilege, I use my height to explain that as far as basketball players go I’m more privileged than most, but that there are still some more privileged than me since I’m only the average height of an NBA player—and just because we’re tall doesn’t mean that we don’t hit our head on things and airplanes don’t suck…

What else can you think of as a privilege in your life?

One participant said that curiosity was a privilege. He grew up in a religious household where God’s word was bond and he was not allowed to be curious.

Next time someone brings up privilege, try and think of something that has benefitted you, even if you did hit your head on something because of it.

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Written by Next Gen Men Co-Founder Jake Stika as part of a personal challenge to share some of our reflections around what it means to be a better man in today’s day and age. Join us every Friday for NGM Thoughts.