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I read your essay. I would say that to be a responsible writer of non-fiction requires honesty with the reader about my own pre-disposition (or appearance of same)--everyone has one, a clear exposition of the facts that I have at hand, and the conclusions drawn from them. To state something as fact which is simply a lie or a supposition is not acceptable. However, having said this, I would think that any writer of non-fiction would agree with these points, unless they are outright liars and polemicists. As for fiction: My only requirement of myself is to be honest; that is, to believe in what I am writing. I believe there probably are absolute truths but I strongly doubt if any one of us actually ever possesses them, though we are forced by circumstance to act as though we do sometimes. Otherwise, nothing would ever get done. We would just stand around debating and frowning all day. In this, I have no responsibility for what the reader thinks. To suggest that the writer must make sure that every reader receives the message the same way strikes me as unrealistic, to be mild. If you haven't already done so, I would suggest you read Tom Wolfe's latest essays in Hooking Up. It's not his best essay work, as he is out of practice, but it addresses some of the same themes you address in your piece. You might also look into some of the reviews written about the French novelist Michel Houellebecq. One need not go back to Camus to find a controversial author. This guy is writing today. Read about him and you'll find that free speech is still not so free, even in a democracy like France.