Is it possible to own ideas? (Score 1)

Someone a while ago put forward the view that ideas exist as MEMES in the mind of the human race in much the same way as genes do in our bodies. Good ones are reinforced by increasing the survival potential of the individuals they inhabit, bad ones are selected against. The clear indication from this point of view is that as individuals, we are a smaller entity than the ideas we hold. To try to own an idea is a waste of time, though an abvious tendency. People who want the human race to move forward as quickly as possible will release their ideas as a gift and only wish to see it benefit people. The creation and movement of ideas is one of, perhaps the, primary force unleashed by the creation of language. Who owns language?