Elon Musk's recent arm-raising gesture and Unity Mitford's 1930 diary offer a striking glimpse into the dangerous allure of flirting with fascist imagery. Musk's awkward Star Wars-style high five might seem comically inept compared to the rigid salutes of historical fascists, but it underscores a deeper problem of elite dabbling in provocative symbolism.

Mitford's diary reads like a grotesque satire of aristocratic frivolity. Between shopping trips, continental jaunts, and bizarre stunts like buying and returning a monkey in Munich, she peppers her writing with chilling admiration for Hitler. Her debutante innocence masks a disturbing enthusiasm – buying uniforms, attending Nuremberg rallies, and proudly declaring herself a Jew-hater.

Both Musk and Mitford represent a type of privileged performative rebellion: using controversial gestures and ideologies as a form of social provocation. The Nazi leadership was reportedly misled by these pet toffs who romanticized their ideology, believing it could find popularity among British elites.

Had Musk performed his questionable salute in front of historical fascist leaders, he would have been swiftly and harshly dealt with – a ironic twist that highlights the superficiality of his gesture. Similarly, Mitford's romanticization of Nazism reveals more about the moral bankruptcy of certain social circles than any genuine political conviction.

The lesson remains clear: playing with fascist imagery, whether through ill-conceived gestures or romanticized diary entries, is not merely a tasteless joke, but a dangerous trivialization of historical atrocities.