"There is no one on earth more disgusting and repulsive than he who gives alms. Even as there is no one so miserable as he who accepts them"

This quote by Maxim Gorky speaks with the power dynamics of charity and the embarassment connected with it. Gorky is recommending that those who give alms, or charity, are viewed as remarkable to those who accept it. He suggests that those who give alms are viewed as more decent and honorable, while those who accept them are viewed as inferior and shameful. This quote speaks to the concept that charity is typically viewed as a sign of supremacy, and those who accept it are viewed as less than. Gorky is recommending that this power dynamic is incorrect which those who accept charity must not be viewed as inferior or shameful. He is advocating for a more fair system of charity, where those who provide and those who get are seen as equals.