Intellectual property is a scam. It grants exclusive rights to ideas. Ideas spread without loss when copied. Ideas are not scarce. This legal fiction treats thoughts like physical goods.

Philosophy challenges this view. Locke argued that work gives ownership. Yet ideas are non-rivalrous. Using an idea does not reduce its supply. Traditional property theory fails with intangible goods. The state enforces laws that ignore these facts.

Psychology also reveals the scam. People overvalue what they create. This is known as the endowment effect. Our minds treat our ideas as unique treasures. Laws build on this bias to justify monopolies. The belief that an author naturally owns their creation is a social construct. It serves powerful interests rather than the public good.

Intellectual property laws protect established powers. They restrict the free exchange of information. They force creators to pay fees and seek permission to use ideas. This hinders progress and limits innovation. Big companies use these laws to control culture and profit from shared creativity.

History shows that culture thrives when ideas are free. Many works in the public domain have spurred further creativity. When rules prevent reuse, they hold back progress. The system benefits a few while hurting many.

The legal treatment of ideas is a policy choice, not a natural right. It is designed to support old industries and control new ones. By turning thoughts into property, the state stifles free speech and debate. It is a tool for power, not for promoting innovation.

We must rethink these laws. Free exchange of ideas is essential for progress. The monopoly over thought is not justified by nature or reason. Intellectual property is a scam that protects vested interests. It is time to dismantle this system and allow ideas to circulate freely.

(There is no natural scarcety of ideas. That is a fact.)