What would you be doing under another system?
Well in an ideal system, I would be doing something that is of benefit to everyone, not just me, and not sitting around doing nothing.

It's a myth. Thousands of scientists and engineers are currently doing stuff at a tech level Tesla didn't know, and they don't say what you say.
Yup, but the real pioneers are cast into the fringes of science. Such as John Hutchison. He's done some crazy shit, basically an extension of the work Tesla was doing a century ago. His reward? I think he had his Candian offices trashed and his funding cut. Yeah, way to treat a man who is trying to solve one of human's biggest problems - energy.

Edison carried out a campaign to discourage the use[25] of alternating current, including spreading disinformation on fatal AC accidents, publicly electrocuting animals, and lobbying against the use of AC in state legislatures.
Oh look an example of personal wealth trumping innovation.