Just a man, with a spine.

Perhaps. It could just be cognitive dissonance and stubborness too. That can plague even the most intelligent of people. In fact, it seems like the more intelligent we are the more prone to stubborness we can be. One thing is for certain. Being certain we are right, and others are wrong is a path of ignorance. We all are wrong more often than we likely want to admit. That doesn't mean you are completely wrong. We can be right on some details, while still being wrong on others.

I can see how rigid your thinking is. I can see the armor in my mind and the shields you surround yourself with.

I can see that you would attack, rather than reason. I mention it so perhaps you'll look. We all can be like this. I know I can. Yet it is hard to do anything about it if we are unwilling to look for it.

EDIT: Everything I've challenged you on I have been guilty of as well. The majority of my ideas come from introspection. I quite some time ago stopped believing I could read other people's minds. So what I say may not resonate with you completely. How could it? Our minds are different.