The argument about the value of ideas is a stupid one because it assumes that "idea" is a concept we can even talk about. There is a key dimension to ideas that

The argument about the value of ideas is a stupid one because it assumes that "idea" is a concept we can even talk about. There is a key dimension to ideas that matters and can make an idea a very valuable thing on its own: depth. Anyone can just come up with a random idea with no depth, but objectively good ideas do exist: they have a detailed and nuanced concept that has been refined through careful thought and experience. A good idea for a product comes from experience and intuition, and contains a number of aspects to it like a target market, a particular way to position a product, a particular way to provide an underserved need, and a compelling justification for why something is going to make money. And for all the things about an idea that you see, there are countless of things you don't see, ie, the things the idea isn't and the reasons it's not. They used to call these things "business plans" but I heard people don't write those anymore.