I'd happily spend $2300 on a computer- but not a macbook. $2300 will get you far more power and quality.

Which is failing to apportion any of the price to the value of macOS . Sure I can buy a cheaper laptop, but then I’d be without macOS and that for me is worth quite a bit of a premium.

(This is absolutely subjective and I totally respect other people like other operating systems, I just find myself much happier and satisfied when I’m using macOS and will - and do - happily pay for it indirectly through the hardware purchase.)

A Mac is a computer, whether you like it or not.