That might not be the only reason for people, for companies however it would be silly to spend money without hoping to get it back somehow.

You don't need patents to create and execute big ideas. As a company or anything else.

As I said, this is a dream (and a pretty silly one at that). I can still hope though

The alternative to patents is secrecy. I think the patent system was originally introduced because it was deemed superior to make ideas public, but limit their commercial usability.

Problem being that the patent system (much like the copyright system) is irrevocably hosed.