That is surely dependent on what they choose not to patent. If they choose not to patent a new variety of floral hat, then there is unlikely to be much societal

That is surely dependent on what they choose not to patent. If they choose not to patent a new variety of floral hat, then there is unlikely to be much societal effect when compared to choosing to patent the hat. However if they discover a method for turning bullshit into an unlimited fuel source or something, then there would be massive social implications in whether the inventor chooses to patent or not.