Well, I do not agree on the patents part.
On my prospective patents are actually the only thing that push innovation.
Innovation is a public good, so it's characterized by the attributes of non-rivalty and non-exclusivity. If so, companies would have no incentive to innovate, in investing in research and development, and the society would simply not evolve.

I think that the problem is another, and you actually touched and pointed it out. Those scumbags that patent something just to block others and get a royalty on it. From a society point of view that don't help anybody and go against innovation and evolution.
In the end, patenting is good, but the mechanism it's not perfect and there are many who take advantage of its flaws.