No ... you don't understand. It's not about identity. It's about having the best tool for the job.
My 2014 macbook pro is still going strong. That's how good the old macbook pros were. I didn't have to "think" about what computer to get, just get a Mac. It was a risk-free, if significantly more expensive option.
Now I have to go through this whole procurement process, and at the end of it I'll be stuck with either Windows or Linux, neither of which are as good as MacOS.
EDIT - and I am in a position to make this comparative analysis, because I use all three on a daily basis. Which was my original point.
EDIT again - I meant "soul searching" in a fairly hyperbolic sense. It doesn't keep me up at night.
> going to various stores, and trialing various different brands (because rememember I'm very fastidious about my blender), yeah I'd be pretty put out. Maybe this all sounds a bit stupid
It does sound stupid when you apply it to blenders, computers, or just about anything. Why is it less stupid to be fastidious about your computer than your blender? I get that being a careful consumer is just smart especially when what you are buying is expensive, but soul searching implies a whole other level of involvement.
People tie their identities up in the products they buy. I've been thinking about this a lot since the dustup where Scorcese expressed his opinion about Marvel movies and their production system. Some Marvel superfans got very upset and it makes no sense to me.