As a person who comes up with new things all the time... i hate IP.

IP today is to protect big corporations from little people like you who may have come up with the IP that they are using.

Case in point, i knew a graphic designer. He had made some greeting cards. One of the big greeting card companies blatantly copied one series of his.
He went and talked to his lawyer, who said: "If you file an IP lawsuit, [big company] will immediately pull that card from their offering and from all stores. And then they will turn around and sue you for loss of profit. This will probably cost you millions, and you are likely to get nothing"

What happens to inventors? IP gets stolen all the time. There are people who specifically prey on inventors. Easy marks. And because the inventor rarely has the ability to manufacture and market his idea, then he can't even compete.

Patents are the worst evil. For a lone inventor, there is nothing you can do that will cost you more in money and time than file for a patent.

Case in point, guy patents an item. Starts manufacturing it. A guy in the same town blatantly copies it and starts selling it. Guy goes to the police, who happens to be the cousin of the guy who is copying... and nothing. Police cannot help. A patent only allows you to sue. Guy sues copier. Wins after years. Copier files bankruptcy, opens up a new place across the street and continues copying.

In China it is even worse. Property rights, IP or otherwise, only sorta exist. As the govern-cement see fit.