I have never felt challenged by anyone possessed of opinions differing or even diametrical to my own, though upon occasion, the manner in which those opinions might be held or expressed, concomitant as they so often are with a presumption of intellectual and moral inferiority on my part, is more than a little wearisome.  Such conceit is a common vice (though not the exclusive domain) of the so-called “liberal left”, those self-appointed guardians of the moral high ground.  In the circumstances I should be forgiven a wry smile when reading recently an article by AA Gill in The Sunday Times where he wrote briefly about the sanctimonious George Monbiot and the insufferable Peter Hitchens,

“But don’t for a moment imagine that the bicycle-riding, organic-hedgerow-grazing, self-denying, 40-watt miserablists are in fact selfless crusaders for the common good. Never underestimate the sustaining pleasure in a hair shirt. Just look at George Monbiot, and witness a man who couldn’t be happier about the imminent demise of life as we know it. It’s given him purpose, prestige and celebrity: without global warming he’d be a geography teacher.”

For Peter Hitchens, no punches were pulled,

“Among journalists, Hitchens is fondly known by the nickname Bonkers. He’s called Bonkers Hitchens because he is raving bonkers, in a way that sells papers but makes him very annoying to sit next to on long flights. I’ve covered elections with him and seen him chase cars like an incensed border collie….[T]he great thing about Hitchens is that he never disappoints. Blissfully, he is utterly bereft of self-irony. For Bonkers there was nothing remotely odd or absurdly hilarious about hating the Conservative party for having Eton-educated, upper-class boys in it. Hitchens should be encouraged to do more. He’s like a lost biblical character from The Life of Brian.”