The dude's sunglasses

[Synth]

So, I just found myself wondering what's the model of the Dude's sunglasses. When looking it up, I came accross this post on Reddit. It puts some very interesting perspective on the Dude's sunglasses and their use. Through the film, there are many times the Dude has all the reasons to get upset. Instead, he just puts his sunglasses on. The only time the Dude ever gets pissed with his sunglasses on is after Donnie's ashes are scattered, which just shows how much he cared for the guy.
Anyway, why do you think the Dude uses his sunglasses this way? My first thought went to a character of a book series, Zaphod Beeblebrox from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Zaphod has this really cool pair of glasses that turns pitch black at the first sign of trouble. The idea is to help the user take a relaxed attitude to danger by blinding them to anything that might worry them. Maybe the Dude used his glasses as a way of distancing himself from what could make him lose his temper?

[The Daryl]

Interesting ideas, thanks for sharing. Sunglasses can do more than block/lessen the sun, I reckon.

[CatLord]

I always used mine as some form of detachment. A way I can look around and not necessarily make eye contact. Not being rude but I always have. I would look at someone's face rather in their eye when I talk to them. Other than close friends and family it kinda seems uncomfortable to me.

[thevideoartist]

I agree with all of you and the dude definitely uses the glasses as a defense mechanism but I think there's something going on outside the sunglasses as well.  When he's being harassed by various paraquats and assholes he dons the shades probably consciously to project a "fuck it... I'm too chill to worry about this" message as well as causing the outside world to "fade away" into the background, but he's also doing 2 other things, probably unconsciously:
1. He's preventing his assailants from seeing his eyes.  This means that they can derive no pleasure from getting under his skin... at least not from his reactions or emotions.  He leaves them outside his psyche, alone... he will not participate in their bullshit.
2. In place of his reaction, they get a darkened reflection of themselves (though the Coens don't really accentuate reflections in the shots they choose, I wish they had).  It's impossible to be an asshole to someone wearing sunglasses without seeing yourself being an asshole.  I think this is a perfect example of a "Wu Wei" method of admonishing them for their behavior while withdrawing from the conflict.  The dude doesn't have to say a word.  Is it effective?  probably not in context because these people rarely pay attention to anyone other than themselves... Does it keep the dude abiding?  absolutely!

For a pacifist the dude's inner being is pretty damn defensible with this technique!

I think though this metaphor only applies to scenes where he had his glasses off and actively puts them on.  Scenes like at Ralphs or when he meets Bunny they're serving a practical and non-metaphorical purpose.

[RandoRock]

I do the same thing with my sunglasses as well, I think it's a security thing that lingers with me off the clock. If I have my sunglasses on I can be scanning the room and people can't tell so I always feel more secure with my sunglasses. They are my grown up security blanket haha.

[chuoiit02]

, This is a great article. It gave me a lot of useful information. thank you very much.

[RevBobB]

I like to think he just closes his eyes and mellows out a bit. That's what I do. Can't see past the sunnies so you're free to disengage without looking like a complete fucking asshole. Or maybe it makes you look like an even bigger fucking asshole denying the attacker their Gaze of Dominance attempts. Either way, it's a means to defuse a situation, one way or another. I dig that style and I take comfort in that.

[BikerDude]

I have some prescription sunglasses that are close.
I got them at Zenni.
Here's the frames.

VS

[DigitalBuddha]

Those sunglasses really tie the dude together; do they not?