Personifacture
(noun)
/ˌpɜːrsəˈnɪfæktʃər/
/パーソニファクチャー/
Definition:
The active or habitual process of mentally crafting or constructing personality traits, intentions, or emotional states onto inanimate objects—treating them as if they possess a character or will of their own.
Connotative Note:
Often associated with individuals exploring panpsychism or animism for the first time, delighting in “manufacturing” personalities for household objects. It also describes the tendency to idealize significant others by projecting personality traits they may not genuinely possess, sometimes elevating them onto a pedestal. This phenomenon resonates with Shintoist sensibilities, which perceive kami (spirits) inhabiting natural and man-made objects, thus fostering a worldview where personifacture becomes a natural expression of relational respect and interconnectedness.
Etymology:
From person- (Latin persona, “character”) + facture (from Latin factura, “a making” or “fashioning”).
Example sentence:
After his laptop crashed for the third time that day, James accused it of betrayal in a moment of pure personifacture.
Cultural reference:
This phenomenon is humorously captured in a Facebook video where a balloon appears to take on a mischievous personality as a man waits for the subway.
Subway Creatures. 2024. “A balloon takes on a life of its own during a subway ride.” Facebook video, June 3. https://www.facebook.com/reel/1197388865148265
Distinctions from Related Terms:
- Personification: A literary or rhetorical device where human qualities are attributed to animals, objects, or abstract concepts, often for metaphorical or artistic effect. It is typically intentional and symbolic, used primarily in storytelling or poetry.
- Personify: The verb form of personification; to represent or embody something as a person or with human characteristics, usually in a deliberate or creative context.
- Personifacture: Unlike personification, personifacture emphasizes the psychological or habitual act of mentally crafting or projecting personalities onto inanimate objects, often unconsciously. It involves an active "manufacturing" of character traits, sometimes linked to emotional needs, belief systems (such as panpsychism or animism), or interpersonal idealization. It is less about metaphor and more about a genuine or semi-genuine attribution of personality or will, blending cognition and emotional projection.
Katakana Pronunciation Breakdown:
Personifacture → パーソニファクチャー
- Per → パー
- soni → ソニ
- fac → ファク
- ture → チャー
Further Reading:
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