Abasement vs. Abjection — What's the Difference?

Abasement and Abjection, while both depicting states of lowliness or degradation, convey different nuances in their meanings. Abasement primarily refers to the act of being lowered in rank, prestige, or esteem, suggesting a reduction in status, often due to humiliation or demeaning treatment. On the other hand, Abjection is more about a state of being cast off, depicting extreme degradation, meanness, and the experience of being in a low or downcast state, often laced with shame or disgrace.

In terms of interaction, abasement typically implies an external influence or action causing one to experience a lowering in dignity or stature. It can be the result of one’s actions resulting in humiliation or could be imposed by others, diminishing one’s self-worth or position. Conversely, abjection often is more about one's internal feelings of worthlessness or degradation, potentially stemming from one’s own feelings or perceptions of disgrace, without necessarily being imposed by external factors.

The context in which abasement occurs often involves a discernible action or event leading to the lowering of status or esteem, such as a demotion at work or a public reprimand, affecting one’s social or professional standing. In contrast, abjection is more aligned with a pervasive state of misery or debasement, possibly resulting from self-loathing or profound humiliation, impacting one’s psychological or emotional wellbeing.

While abasement may be reversible, where one may regain lost status or esteem through rectification or change in circumstances, abjection often implies a more entrenched and enduring state of despair or degradation, potentially harder to overcome. Abasement can be transient, affecting one’s position or reputation temporarily, while abjection tends to depict a more enduring and profound state of lowliness and wretchedness.

In summation, while both words convey a sense of lowering, abasement is more about the act of being brought low, usually by external influences or actions, affecting status or reputation; abjection is more about experiencing a state of extreme lowliness or degradation, often internally perceived, impacting one’s emotional or psychological state.