Cringing at Benevolence

Abstract Engaging with Logan’s third chapter, on the American Seamen’s Friends Society, this piece reflects what it means to cringe in context of a benevolent or charitable relationship. People when they are made painfully aware gap between their self-conception (and/or ideal self) and way others perceive them. Logan shows us, her study ASFS , cringeworthy nature antebellum societies: learned about objects benevolence (in case, sailors), performed rituals alongside them, attempted befriend yet did not ultimately want be them like but, rather, change