Well, from a game theory point of view, look at it like this: You can't meaningfully execute on patents (enforcement nor acquisition) unless you have resources. Those resources tend to come from companies that programmers work for, not individual programmers working at home.

So if you want more hacker/maker culture, your position would seem to run counter to that goal, no?

I love playing devil's advocate too, but there are situations where it's not quite so easy. If you feel that the hatred for patents is an overblown concern, I suppose it would be best for the people in this thread to post stories about how patents have materially affected their lives and their work. There are plenty.

Even lacking that, though, the core argument is that you need money to be able to do anything patent-related. Most hackers don't have these kinds of resources. And since patents can be used against them, advocating for patents leads directly to the disenfranchisement of hackers.

EDIT: One thing that makes it difficult to see the kinds of statistics you'd like to see: Chilling effects. When patents hang over us like a specter, you'll never see how many ventures are aborted before they're even started due to fears about patents.