In the US, today is Memorial Day, when we are to honor warriors who died in our side of wars.  In addition we are to honor all our warriors on Veterans’ Day, and our first warriors and politicians on Independence Day.  We also have days to honor wartime politicians, one warring explorer, all mothers, all fathers, and "laborers" (i.e., most all of us). 

Yes warriors, dead and otherwise, deserve some honor, but to me this seems all out of proportion.   Not only do we overemphasize warriors of dramatic battles we won (e.g., not WWI trench doughboys), but surely many others deserve honor.  How about warriors who died on other sides, or in other wars?  How about civilians who died or sacrificed in wars?  How about those who prevented wars?

And surely war should not be the main source of honor in our world!  How about holidays to honor those who died for or sacrificed for or at least benefited the rest of us in other ways?  For example, why not a day to honor volunteers?  Or a day to honor all explorers, including intellectual, artistic, and business explorers?  Why focus so much on our winning dead warriors? 

Added:  Yes our ancestors probably evolved warrior honor to get people to defend their tribe.  But shall we on reflection endorse or repudiate these feelings?