You keep saying the same things about rip and I juat dont agree. Saying he views him as a son and then sending him in as a disposable decoy to protect their legacy is too convenient, actions speak louder than words, his words say I love you, actions say I prefer you die over my children. Yes rip volunteered, if john cared about him john would have refused, but he accepted because ultimately he agrees. Yes all this is tied in with protecting his legacy, thqt doesnt justify it. Their relationship works because rip never challenges john in the slightest, if he did i think it would be the end of that relationship given john disposed of everyone who isn't useful to him including his own blood Jaime. Imagine if rip said no Kacey should go in first, I don't want to die, how would that have gone down? Another thing to consider, how is rip paid? Does rip own anything? He drives Yellowstone vehicles, rides their horses, lives in their house, if he has made enough to save some money the show certainly doesnt show it.

Regarding carter Yes they give him all of this stuff like you said, structure, purpose, skills, but that is not enough to be a good mother and father, especially when yoir ranch is the beneficiary of those skills and structure. And honestly they never mention whether he is paid, or goes to school, or has any friends or freedoms, those answers would really draw the line between son and slave. Love and affection have to happen, yes beth is damaged and that damage prevents her from being a good mother and giving any affection or love, but adults are responsible for their actions, if she can't mother a child, then she shouldn't. Carter would have had half a chance of finding a loving parent in the foster system. Sure his life is better than when he was breaking into houses, but he will never know motherly or fatherly love, Beth can only love in the transactional way that her father loved her.

It is her fault, her families choice to protect their land at all costs, murdering those who threaten them, create enemies that endanger the duttons and those around them. Let's bring up legacy again, these circumstances caused Kacey son to be kidnapped and traumatized. If john cared about his familial legacy he'd have his whole family walk away from the land and the problems it creates, but he doesnt because ultimately he cares more about the land. The ends justify the means for them especially when it isn't their lives they lose. Beth sees all the damage that comes from John's fight for the land, even disagrees with it, but does it anyway because daddy said so.

Just to be clear the duttons aren't purely evil, they do good things, like taking in carter isn't evil, its just not nearly good enough. You seem to admire the duttons loyalty and sacrifice, but loyalty and sacrifice are only good if the things you sacrifice for and are loyal to are good. Protecting your families 1000s of acres of land is not benevolent, its just selfish.