Giving Away Ideas for Free

I have just finished reading Accelerando by Charles Stross. The character, Manfred Macx, has left quite an impression on me. I was particularly impressed by what he does for a living in the first part of the book. He goes around making other people rich. He gives away ideas. In return he has a high enough reputation to be able to get almost everything he needs free of charge. The people acknowledge his contributions to society. He works with friends to chase down outrageous ideas and make them a reality. He pitches business plans to people, all for free. He asks for nothing in return, no strings attached. It’s said that he has 12 interesting ideas before he even sits down for breakfast in the morning. The moment I read these descriptions of him, I was in awe. I was basking in the awesomeness of this brilliant individual.

I started wondering if this sort of lifestyle was possible. If it was feasible for someone to follow in Manfred’s footsteps. Could someone work outside the boundaries of the modern economic system? Could an individual, or even a business entity, free itself from the tyranny of money, and still be an agent of change in the world. Could it still be a force strong enough to enact its will and propagate it through the entire social and technological landscape? I have no answer at the moment, but I’ll be working on it.