Continuing on the theme of the week of posing more questions than providing answers, a very interesting word came up today. The word was restraint, and the fact that the reasonable and responsible man of today must often practice the art of restraint.

So what does this word mean? Well, let's examine the definition at http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/restraining: "to prevent from doing, exhibiting or expressing something." Why do people exercise restraint? It seems to me this is a fundamental requirement for people in a civilized society. But, what are the ramifications of holding back? This will be discussed next time.