A terrible purpose without their consent, then imposed upon them with only the method of great injury to expel them. Billions died throughout the Great War, but even more survived a genocidal onslaught. There is no guarantee that they would have simply perished in the glassings.

In any case, however, they didn't have a choice. To High Command, the Spartans were mere implementations of their authority - tools, not people. For those who weren't kidnapped, they were still able to experience a childhood and adolescence. Sure, odds are it might have been dearly traumatic, but it was still there for them.

: I haven't read the books but from what I'm reading on the forums, this
: demonizing of Halsey seems like it's going too far. After all, her
: response seems only that of a pragmatist.

The demon was already there. We were just too wrapped up in the same "motherly" figure the Spartans were indoctrinated into adoring. Traviss, however, took this new light on Halsey in a rather unnecessarily distasteful fashion.

: What's so bad about being a Spartan anyway? Who wouldn't want an absolute
: purpose in life? To be the best at something. To inspire by your mere
: presence. To have the body of a god and to be able to move like the wind.
: Choice is overrated sometimes, I think

Are you saying billions of warriors throughout history didn't have a purpose, to strive to be the supreme authority in war? The Spartans of ancient times certainly didn't see a need to augment their subjects to defeat battle hardened armies. Korean, American, and British forces of 1950 didn't train and arm their children to hold off and inflict massive casualties on the waves of Chinese volunteers flooding into the Chosin Reservoir.

If the Spartans were so absolute in their craft, there would be no need for countless ordinary Soldiers and Marines to volunteer, shoulder a rifle, and defend their nation.