It isn't just a status symbol. That cheapens what Apple offers.
My father was a mechanic who bought tools from a specific supplier that was regularly 3-5x more expensive than generic tools. The reason? They would last 10x longer and work twice as well.
I see my MBP as a tool. It is worth the premium for quality.
I really think you need to look up what "conspicuous consumption" means. It isn't just about buying a slightly better, slightly more expensive version of a product. It's about spending money purely for the sake of showing off how much money you can afford to spend.
Appreciating a product for being well-made doesn't make it a status symbol. People can like quality products themselves, not just the showing-off of them.
I think he's making a point about components and the laptop's manufacturing: even if you do find a Dell with components that compare to a MBP, that Dell is made of cheap plastic with a WiFi antenna that works intermittently, comes with bloatware, etc.
A "status symbol" means I use it to increase my social status. Which I do not, or don't even care about. I do, however, care about the small (and large) details though, because they make my life better.
Is wanting a less heavy laptop wanting a "status symbol"? Or thinking that a magnetic lid is better than an ugly protruding prone-to-break piece of plastic? Or wanting a laptop with a nice case design? By your logic, anyone wanting a beautiful spouse is because he wants to use him/her as a status symbol. How about appreciating beauty for what it is and how it makes US feel?
"Commodity" does not mean that you are equally satisfied with anything as long as it does the basics of what you want. Food is a commodity too, but I prefer a nice restaurant to a fast food joint, because it is better there, even if both can equally take care of my hunger.
you prove my point. To you computer isn't just a piece of commodity. It IS a status symbol, a thing to revere.
I guess it is the same to me since I write this from my MBP.