I had a small revelation yesterday. No the earth did not shake, nor did voices call out to me from the sky. I just understood something very simple that had eluded me till now.

I am always taken by surprise when people attack me by suggesting that I hold my opinions for the sake of it, or to attract attention, or because of some sinister, concealed worldview such as I am from time to time accused.

And now I know why. The people who make these accusations do so because they themselves hold opinions for reasons of conformity and convenience, rather than out of conviction. These opinions, as was well-demonstrated last week during BBC3’s ‘Free Speech ‘ programme, have absolutely no bearing on any actual arguments or facts.

Look at the way I was accused by one audience member of supporting ‘rape culture’ because I defended the presumption of innocence. The idea that anyone accused of rape might conceivably *be* innocent seemed wholly baffling to her.

And then there was the unfortunate person who (as far as I could make out) simply couldn’t conceive that I might favour the death penalty out of compassion rather than cruelty. If this is your approach to the world, then you will think everyone else is up to the same thing. If you yourself don’t hold your views out of conviction, but only out of conformity, you will be angry with the person who breaches that conformity. He is making you look like a conformist by doing so. And while many are ready to conform, few like to admit they are doing so.

None of my critics will believe me when I say that hold my opinions because they seem true and morally correct to me. And I suppose there may well be commentators who do take positions for effect or career reasons, which makes it easier for them to believe this of me. But there it is, I just hold them because I think them correct. My assailants are the ones who lose by this. If they believed that I might be sincere, they would themselves find it easier to argue for their own views. As it is, the simplest logical or factual challenge can usually derail them hopelessly.