Tecnologie e valori dello sguardo. Occhiali e discorsività

What is that very special object in our daily lives that is a pair of spectacles all about? It accompanies us faithfully through every moment of the day, it crouches beside us when we do without, or it is stowed away in a bag, momentarily resting on a shelf. But it is always ready to come back and ride our noses and ears in order to perform its inalienable function to the best of its ability. Function? A notion as pernicious as it is indispensable when dealing with a sure design product such as spectacles. An unfortunate, polysemic, inflated term, problematised in a thousand ways; an intrusive and unwelcome guest, with whom one never ends up coming to terms. One sends him away and finds him more sprightly than ever. Indispensable.