--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If all ideas have to be bought, then you…" description: "\"If all ideas have to be bought, then you have an intellectually regressive system that will assure you have a highly knowledgeable elite and an ignoran..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/313/john-perry-barlow-9208_ideas_if-all-ideas-have-to-be-bought-then-you_1009904.jpg" --- # If all ideas have to be bought, then you have an… ![“If all ideas have to be bought, then you have an intellectually regressive system that will assure you have a highly knowledgeable elite and an ignorant mass.” quote by John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/313/john-perry-barlow-9208_ideas_if-all-ideas-have-to-be-bought-then-you_1009904.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/313/john-perry-barlow-9208_ideas_if-all-ideas-have-to-be-bought-then-you_1009904.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/313/john-perry-barlow-9208_ideas_if-all-ideas-have-to-be-bought-then-you_1009904.jpg) > “If all ideas have to be bought, then you have an intellectually regressive system that will assure you have a highly knowledgeable elite and an ignorant mass.” [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A system that monetizes ideas creates a knowledge gap, empowering elites while marginalizing the masses. **In simple terms:** Paying for ideas builds a privileged class and a uninformed public. Key Takeaway Promote open access to knowledge. Themes knowledge inequality elitism intellectual property social justice Mood concerned critical Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - education reform - policy making - public libraries - digital platforms Key Concepts Economics philosophy media studies Questions to Reflect On - How does monetizing ideas affect societal progress? - What alternatives can balance creator rights and public benefit? A Different Perspective Open access may reduce incentives for creators. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Elite Ignorant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elite-ignorant-2186406/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Ignorant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ignorant/) [Ignorant Mass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ignorant-mass-1968476/) [Intellectually](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intellectually/) [Intellectually Regressive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intellectually-regressive-2186405/) [Knowledgeable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledgeable/) [Knowledgeable Elite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledgeable-elite-2186407/) [Mass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mass/) ## Related quotes > [Wherever there is an ignorant mass, you will see a flag of an ignorant leader fluctuating with glory!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/wherever-there-is-an-ignorant-mass-you-will-see-a-flag-of-an-ignorant/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“The ignorant mass looks upon the man who makes a violent protest against our social and economic iniquities as upon a wild beast, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/the-ignorant-mass-looks-upon-the-man-who-makes-a-violent-protest/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [Every minute of every day, we should be challenging ourselves to grow intellectually and to stay curious about the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trish-regan/every-minute-of-every-day-we-should-be-challenging-ourselves-to-grow/) [Trish Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trish-regan/) > [I've known Dennis Kucinich for a long time, and I don't think I have illusions about him. Sometimes I find him pompous, male chauvinistic,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/i-ve-known-dennis-kucinich-for-a-long-time-and-i-don-t-think-i-have/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [“I usually dumb down around the intellectually deficient so I don’t come off like a complete prick.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krista-ritchie/i-usually-dumb-down-around-the-intellectually-deficient-so-i-don-t/) [Krista Ritchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krista-ritchie/) > [Being at the top of your game intellectually, philosophically, politically, is not a forever thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/being-at-the-top-of-your-game-intellectually-philosophically/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [I'm lucky enough to have a kid with me who is actually really intellectually up with what's going on in the world and actually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-winstone/i-m-lucky-enough-to-have-a-kid-with-me-who-is-actually-really/) [Ray Winstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-winstone/) > [“Me? Oh, intellectually I believe in having a good heart, a chirpy penis, a lively intelligence, and the courage to say ‘shit!’ in front…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-h-lawrence-2/me-oh-intellectually-i-believe-in-having-a-good-heart-a-chirpy-penis/) [D.H. Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-h-lawrence-2/) > [For those who struggle with anti-pagan prejudices and stereotypes, Humanist Paganism might be a powerful educational tool. It can show that a pagan can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendan-myers/for-those-who-struggle-with-anti-pagan-prejudices-and-stereotypes/) [Brendan Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendan-myers/) > [“Intellectually, they knew a great deal. Practically, they chose to know almost nothing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-benchley/intellectually-they-knew-a-great-deal-practically-they-chose-to-know/) [Peter Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-benchley/) > [“We have this extraordinary conceit in the West that while we've been hard at work in the creation of technological wizardry and innovation, somehow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-wade-davis/we-have-this-extraordinary-conceit-in-the-west-that-while-we-ve-been/) [Edmund Wade Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-wade-davis/) > [I had spend a lot of time looking at things intellectually, coming from the head, let's say, rather than the heart, and saying things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gord-downie/i-had-spend-a-lot-of-time-looking-at-things-intellectually-coming/) [Gord Downie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gord-downie/) > [What's frustrating to me is when, on a low-budget movie, people don't take chances. A big-budget movie, that script's your bible; nobody's going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-henriksen/what-s-frustrating-to-me-is-when-on-a-low-budget-movie-people-don-t/) [Lance Henriksen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-henriksen/) > [It is intellectually dishonest to lump venture investors with hedge fund and buy-out investors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-ferreira/it-is-intellectually-dishonest-to-lump-venture-investors-with-hedge/) [Jose Ferreira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-ferreira/) > [I often feel intellectually frustrated when I'm in a position where I'm not moving forward; when I'm not enquiring about something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-catton/i-often-feel-intellectually-frustrated-when-i-m-in-a-position-where-i/) [Eleanor Catton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-catton/) ## More by John Perry Barlow > [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [“the first responsibility of a human being is to be a better ancestor.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/the-first-responsibility-of-a-human-being-is-to-be-a-better-ancestor/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [Our universities are so determined to impose tolerance that they'll expel you for saying what you think and never notice the irony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/our-universities-are-so-determined-to-impose-tolerance-that-they-ll/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [You do not know our culture, our ethics, or the unwritten codes that already provide our society more order than could be obtained by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/you-do-not-know-our-culture-our-ethics-or-the-unwritten-codes-that/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [The real issue is control. The Internet is too widespread to be easily dominated by any single government. By creating a seamless global economic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/the-real-issue-is-control-the-internet-is-too-widespread-to-be-easily/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [I don't know that I believe in the supernatural, but I do believe in miracles, and our time together was filled with the events…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/i-don-t-know-that-i-believe-in-the-supernatural-but-i-do-believe-in/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [I'm a member of that half of the human race which is inclined to divide the human race into two kinds of people. My…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/i-m-a-member-of-that-half-of-the-human-race-which-is-inclined-to/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [I ... believe that angels, or something like them, sometimes live among us, hidden within our fellow human beings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/i-believe-that-angels-or-something-like-them-sometimes-live-among-us/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [I think that humor is part of what saves us from despair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/i-think-that-humor-is-part-of-what-saves-us-from-despair/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [I personally think intellectual property is an oxymoron. Physical objects have a completely different natural economy than intellectual goods. It's a tricky thing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/i-personally-think-intellectual-property-is-an-oxymoron-physical/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [Any powerful technology has sauce for the goose and the gander... It's just an extension of humanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/any-powerful-technology-has-sauce-for-the-goose-and-the-gander-it-s/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [Art is a service, not a product. Created beauty is a relationship, and a relationship with the Holy at that. Reducing such work to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/art-is-a-service-not-a-product-created-beauty-is-a-relationship-and-a/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [We will create a civilization of the Mind in Cyberspace. May it be more humane and fair than the world your governments have made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/we-will-create-a-civilization-of-the-mind-in-cyberspace-may-it-be/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [Incompetence is a double-edged banana.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/incompetence-is-a-double-edged-banana/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [The first serious infowar is now engaged. The field of battle is WikiLeaks. You are the troops.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/the-first-serious-infowar-is-now-engaged-the-field-of-battle-is/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) [Explore all 74 John Perry Barlow quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) ## More Ideas quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [Companies with cultures that celebrate diverse opinions and encourage the exchange of ideas have an advantage when solving difficult problems. A company that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-mcmillon/companies-with-cultures-that-celebrate-diverse-opinions-and-encourage/) [Doug McMillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-mcmillon/) > [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [I know for my wife and I, we always loved the idea of being young parents. It is an incredibly inspiring and challenging job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-hanson/i-know-for-my-wife-and-i-we-always-loved-the-idea-of-being-young/) [Taylor Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-hanson/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [I've always been fascinated by the idea that there's no such thing as evil; it's all in your point of view. To one group…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-roth/i-ve-always-been-fascinated-by-the-idea-that-there-s-no-such-thing-as/) [Eli Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-roth/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [It revealed a cruelty that really made one wonder if the universe was such a good idea after all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lindsay/it-revealed-a-cruelty-that-really-made-one-wonder-if-the-universe-was/) [Jeff Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lindsay/) > [Sometimes it's just enough for me to have the idea. I don't need to see it through to the end. When it actually happens,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-sedaris/sometimes-it-s-just-enough-for-me-to-have-the-idea-i-don-t-need-to/) [Amy Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-sedaris/) > [Love is like that, fragile and light. No wonder it rests upon our hearts in intangible moments, bids us follow fleeting thoughts and ideas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-like-that-fragile-and-light-no-wonder-it-rests-upon-our/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [But I already saw no great difference between the psyche and spirituality. To amass knowledge without becoming wise is not my idea of progress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/but-i-already-saw-no-great-difference-between-the-psyche-and/) [M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/) > [Making movies seemed so impossible as far as getting my ideas funded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boots-riley/making-movies-seemed-so-impossible-as-far-as-getting-my-ideas-funded/) [Boots Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boots-riley/) > [I am not the avant-garde. I am the artist who comes after the advancing guard. I am more concerned with continuity of ideas and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-oliveira/i-am-not-the-avant-garde-i-am-the-artist-who-comes-after-the/) [Nathan Oliveira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-oliveira/) > [What is music? Music is language. A human being wants to express ideas in this language, but not ideas that can be translated into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-webern/what-is-music-music-is-language-a-human-being-wants-to-express-ideas/) [Anton Webern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-webern/) > [“What does it mean to be a self-conscious animal? The idea is ludicrous, if it is not monstrous. It means to know that one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-becker/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-self-conscious-animal-the-idea-is-ludicrous/) [Ernest Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-becker/) [Browse all 24,908 Ideas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If all ideas have to be bought, then you have an intellectually regressive system that will assure you have a highly knowledgeable elite and an ignorant mass.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Perry Barlow" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/if-all-ideas-have-to-be-bought-then-you-have-an-intellectually/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ideas" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/if-all-ideas-have-to-be-bought-then-you-have-an-intellectually/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/313/john-perry-barlow-9208_ideas_if-all-ideas-have-to-be-bought-then-you_1009904.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/313/john-perry-barlow-9208_ideas_if-all-ideas-have-to-be-bought-then-you_1009904.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/313/john-perry-barlow-9208_ideas_if-all-ideas-have-to-be-bought-then-you_1009904.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If all ideas have to be bought, then you have an intellectually regressive system that will assure you have…” — John Perry Barlow", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "John Perry Barlow", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If all ideas have to be...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/if-all-ideas-have-to-be-bought-then-you-have-an-intellectually/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/if-all-ideas-have-to-be-bought-then-you-have-an-intellectually/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```