Though there may be something to be said for Alain de Botton's suggestions for the usefulness of celebrities (Why sneer at celebrity?, 1 February), deeper thought suggests that the idea of individuals to "look up to" is comparatively recent in our human story – a few thousand years at most – and was imposed by psychopaths through conquest, violence, torture and intimidation. As Shelley suggests in Ozymandias, the desire to see one's image writ large and wide, and to wallow in that propagation, is a form of insanity. The men and women who think and do the fine things Alain rightly commends are, on the whole, anonymous while they live and forgotten when they die. Which is as it should be. Leaders (the top-ranking celebrities) in times past and present are, on all sides, often solely responsible for the massacre and suffering of millions. This is why true democracy is so important – "ordinary" men and women tend to be wiser, braver, and less self-seeking than leaders or celebrities.
Ian Flintoff
Oxford
• I think Alain might be somewhat missing the point. We "sneer at celebrity" because most of the so-called celebrities adored by the masses are not, in fact, "distinguished others". We continue to celebrate the distinguished, and sneer merely at the reality "royalty".
Melissa Scrivin
Salford Priors, Warwickshire
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