I find it a very human contradiction that parents responded both in extreme resentment and by leaning in to it. When it felt like their sons were being stolen a

I find it a very human contradiction that parents responded both in extreme resentment and by leaning in to it. When it felt like their sons were being stolen away from them, the parents were willing to disfigure them in order to prevent them from being sent off. But later on, when Devshirme became prestigious and a path towards potential power or a viziership, the parents were suddenly bribing scouts to take their sons.