Despite inventing the lightning rod, bifocals, and the Franklin stove, Benjamin Franklin never filed a single patent. His reasoning? He saw inventions as gifts to society, not commodities. Franklin believed ideas flourished best when unshackled by ownership—when shared freely for the benefit of all.He famously wrote that seeking profit from patents would only “sour one’s temper and disturb one’s peace.” His radical stance defied the growing capitalist impulse of his age, positioning him as both