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I was thinking about Bens way of acting. He poses himself as a grown up, sure of himself and sure of what he does.. He has courage to put boundaries... I mean COURAGE, because it"s how I think about it... That's why I (and so many people) see him as a fatherly figur... He has courage to say NO
, to give the look and administer consequences... He is stable and strong, he trusts himself... OK, with Sam, he needed Hoss reassurance ; he was afraid, he had been too strict...He still asks for himself, if he did the good choice. But most of the time, he shows determination.
That's what parents maybe lost during the years. Fatherly authority low down, children won more and more rights, that's something good in theory.. But they have today only rights and parents are overhelmd by those they brought to life.
Ben never gave up; he always kept control over children and he has my admiration for that...
Lorne Greene wasn't conscious (or was he ? ) that he was figuring a great father that would last eternaly in legend of television show... But I still can't believe, it was just a script and some lines and scenes.. No there was a deep message about education : it was simple, children had to behave or there were consequences...
Today children don't behave and there are no consequences.. 
I wonder, if parents are afraid, loosing affection from the children ? Ben shows us, it's possible to give love and consequences : it work together : discipline and affection... Affection is a sweet cocoon and discipline is a frame : children need both of them...Ben could give both of them and he will allways have my admiration....
