Borat in Trump’s America: Satire as a Mirror of National Identity and Divisiveness
Introduction
With Donald Trump’s return to the presidency in 2024, American society faces a renewed wave of national pride, cultural tension, and polarized beliefs. In this context, Sacha Baron Cohen’s character Borat—an eccentric journalist from Kazakhstan—offers an unexpectedly powerful lens through which to understand these complexities. By embracing outlandish behavior and exaggerated foreign stereotypes, Borat serves as both a satirical critic and a social investigator, exposing latent prejudices, societal contradictions, and the American fixation on exceptionalism. This paper explores the enduring truths Borat reveals about the American psyche, examining how his satire resonates even more sharply in the wake of Trump’s victory.
Satire as a Lens on American Society
Borat’s outrageous persona allows Cohen to act as a social provocateur, drawing out the attitudes and biases of the Americans he interacts with. By playing an outsider who seems naive about American culture, Cohen’s character disrupts the norms of politeness and draws his subjects into unguarded conversations. This approach allows Americans to reveal beliefs and biases they might normally hide, exposing underlying truths about how they perceive both foreign cultures and their own.
One iconic example is when Borat leads a bar full of people to sing an offensive song, reflecting how group dynamics can sway individuals to accept and participate in behaviors they might otherwise avoid. This scenario speaks to the influence of charismatic figures on societal behavior, hinting at the dangers of groupthink—a powerful insight given Trump’s polarizing influence. Scenes like this highlight Borat’s talent for creating absurd situations that force people to confront their own biases and often reveal a darker side of American conformity and complicity.
Unmasking Prejudices and Cultural Blind Spots
A defining feature of Borat’s interactions is their ability to unearth the unspoken prejudices that often lurk below the surface of American civility. Because he presents himself as a foreigner unfamiliar with American norms, people often feel less inhibited in expressing beliefs they might normally keep private. This technique reveals latent racism, xenophobia, and sexism, bringing to light prejudices that are still alive but typically unspoken.
For example, Borat’s exaggerated anti-Semitism and misogyny, posed as cultural norms from his homeland, often lead to uncomfortable responses from Americans who either try to correct him or, more disturbingly, remain silent. This willingness to tolerate or ignore blatant prejudice speaks to a discomfort with confrontation and reveals an undercurrent of complicity—a mindset that has only become more visible and divisive in Trump’s America. In an era when Trump’s rhetoric has emboldened some to express these views openly, Borat’s satire exposes how these biases persist and sometimes thrive when they go unchallenged.
American Exceptionalism and Cultural Contradictions
Another significant theme Borat explores is the concept of American exceptionalism—the notion that the United States is inherently superior or unique in its moral values. Borat’s exaggerated admiration for America, juxtaposed with his grotesque foreign customs, often brings Americans to articulate beliefs in national superiority, revealing contradictions in their ideals.
By playing an outsider in awe of American greatness, Borat encourages Americans to explain or defend their ideals of freedom, justice, and morality. In Trump’s America, where nationalism is often at the forefront of political discourse, Borat’s interactions highlight how pride in American exceptionalism can obscure societal flaws, making it difficult for individuals to recognize or address the contradictions within their own values. His interactions with Americans reveal how patriotism, taken to an extreme, can sometimes serve as a mask for deeper social issues.
Social Etiquette and Politeness in American Culture
Borat’s disruptive behavior also provides insights into the value Americans place on politeness and social harmony. Many Americans he encounters attempt to be polite or avoid offense, even when Borat’s actions or words are absurd or offensive. This tendency to maintain politeness, regardless of personal discomfort, reveals a cultural norm of non-confrontation that Borat exploits to push the limits of acceptable behavior.
This phenomenon, which was evident before Trump’s presidency, has taken on new dimensions in a political climate where civility often contrasts sharply with the confrontational style of Trump’s supporters. Borat’s encounters with etiquette coaches and everyday Americans demonstrate how Americans often prioritize social comfort over truth or justice, revealing a potential weakness in the national character. In Trump’s America, where political discourse is increasingly polarized, this inclination to avoid confrontation may contribute to the lack of productive conversations across ideological divides.
The Role of Media in Shaping National Identity
Borat’s character also critiques the American media’s influence on public perceptions of other cultures. By presenting himself as an absurd caricature of a foreigner, Cohen shows how Americans often rely on stereotypes, driven by media portrayals, to understand people from different backgrounds. Borat’s over-the-top “Kazakh” identity and Americans’ reactions to him highlight how shallow cultural knowledge can fuel prejudice and misunderstanding.
This theme aligns with Trump’s era of “fake news” and skepticism toward the media. Borat’s satire highlights how the media often simplifies complex cultural narratives for entertainment or sensationalism, contributing to harmful stereotypes. His interactions with American media figures and politicians emphasize the power of media to shape and distort national identity. In a society where media often serves as the primary lens through which Americans view the world, Borat’s satirical approach encourages viewers to question the accuracy of these portrayals.
The Complexity of American Identity and Freedom
Borat’s uninhibited behavior serves as a foil to American ideals of freedom and individuality. His willingness to express offensive views and flaunt social conventions contrasts with Americans’ more restrained approach to expressing themselves in public. By embodying the extreme of free expression, Borat pushes Americans to examine their own beliefs about freedom and the boundaries of acceptable behavior.
In Trump’s America, where free speech and expression are hotly debated topics, Borat’s character underscores the paradoxes in the American concept of liberty. While Americans cherish individual freedoms, they often self-censor in order to fit societal expectations. Borat’s outrageous conduct challenges these cultural expectations, forcing Americans to confront how fully they embrace the idea of freedom. This satirical tension highlights the complexity of American identity, suggesting that freedom in America is as much about fitting in as it is about expressing individuality.
Conclusion: Borat as a Mirror in a Divided America
In the wake of Trump’s 2024 election victory, Borat serves as a heightened mirror reflecting America’s cultural, social, and political divides. Through satire, Cohen uses Borat to cut through partisan rhetoric, providing a unique critique of American values, prejudices, and contradictions. By drawing out latent biases, revealing cultural blind spots, and questioning ideals of exceptionalism and freedom, Borat’s character forces Americans to examine their national identity with fresh eyes.
In Trump’s America, where divisions run deep, Borat’s humor takes on new relevance as a means of exposing truths that might otherwise remain hidden. His antics remind us that humor is not only a form of entertainment but also a powerful tool for self-examination, pushing us to confront uncomfortable aspects of ourselves and our society. Borat’s satire underscores that in a divided nation, the greatest challenge may be to recognize and address our own biases—and that sometimes, it takes an outsider to help us see the truth within.
