# Reification ## Summary Reification is the process of making something abstract feel real, tangible, or solid. It often functions like a phase transition—from idea to form, concept to symbol, narrative to system. ## Definition Reification (from *res*, “thing”) refers to the transformation of abstract concepts into concrete representations. In philosophical critique (notably Marxist theory), it’s associated with the objectification of human relations or social processes—turning people or dynamics into "things" that can be managed or commodified. But in creative and strategic contexts, reification is often an intentional move: a way of **anchoring ideas in form** so they can be shared, remembered, acted on, or designed around. It’s central to strategy, brand, storytelling, and system design—any domain where meaning must be made legible and compelling. ## Properties - It often involves **metaphor, symbol, visual, or language constructs** that stabilize meaning. - It’s a **sensemaking function**, helping people orient around something otherwise nebulous. - It can **enable clarity**—but can also **oversimplify** or mask complexity. - Reification gives form, but also **frames perception**—which gives it power. ## Related Ideas - Epistemology: reification as a knowledge-shaping mechanism - Ontology: reification as structuring “what exists” - Ideology: how ideas become encoded in systems or norms - Legibility: what becomes perceivable or graspable to others - Brand: the reification of values, personality, or vision - Marxist critique: reification as alienation or fetishization of social relations