11/25/2006 11:25:00 PM 
Borat's movie is out today and in recognition of this, we've decided to look at put him under the cultural microscope.
Influx believes we can all learn something from Borat, but we just not sure what.
To help us, we've brought in Grant McCracken, anthropologist, author, and fellow blogger.
Just to make it clear, Grant is an expert anthropologist, he holds a Ph.D. in anthropology from the University of Chicago and has taught at the Harvard Business School.
So we tapped into his brain and asked him to give us a perspective on who Borat really is and what he means?
Who is Borat, as an archetype?
We can think of Borat as a trickster. In the anthropological literature, this is a creature who exists to break rules. The rules in question are sometimes social, the rules that govern social conduct. But more often they are cultural: the rules governing how we see the world. This is why Borat is so cringe worthy. He breaks rules that we didn't know existed. He addresses matters culture has put way, way out of bounds.
So there is something culture discovering about this character...or edge finding, to steal a phrase from the futurists. He reveals rules that operate invisibly to shape how we think. This means that Borat has lots in common with the anthropologist and the marketer. This is our game as well.
Why Can He Get Away with So Much?
I think Borat gets a way with a lot because he is first and foremost a child of innocence. He honestly doesn't know that he is giving offense, or running rough shot over conventional wisdom. This is, I think, part of the genius of Cohen's creation, that he found a way to give this character license to go anywhere, and do anything. He isn't guite Teflon. But he is so clearly "out of it" that when he breaks the rules, we don't inflict the usual punishments. There is of course an ancient art: court jesters were always walking this line.
What Exactly Are We Laughing At?
This is a great question. I think we are laughing in astonishment and relief. It is amazing to make you see something that operates to inform your consciousness but is usually concealed from view. And there is something momentarily delicious about being released in this way. We are as Van Gannep used to say, momentarily in a "liminal state." Or to use another language, we find ourselves on a "moral holiday."
Who Gets Borat and Who Doesn't?
Another great question. Clearly, most of the people he interviewed had no idea who and what they were dealing with. If we take their characteristics and multiply, we are looking at millions of people. But finally, when Borat that reckless tricker really gets down to it, the universe of people who don't get it is all of us. At some point, we all go, "Oh, my God, I can't believe he said that."
What does Borat Tell Us About America?
I guess what it tells me that even when we believe ourselves to be a culture gifted with pretty remarkable powers of self awareness, intellectual and imaginative mobility, ironic and other kinds of detachment, there is lots that things that culture keeps from us. I have one complaint about Borat. All his targets appear to be rubes and bigots. I don't doubt that he could overturn my favorite and most invisible assumptions. I think he should have set his sights a little higher. Epater the real bourgeoisie, for crying out loud.
It appears you don't have Flash installed.