You can be critical of a system and still need to participate in it.

A Macbook (or any Apple product) isn't a essential item without alternatives. If you actually care there is almost always a way without it.

The Apple brand has an alternative, but for most people the alternative is "Google" (for phones) or "Microsoft" (for 'proper computing'). I think I've got a Blackberry around somewhere, but the OS is so old it doesn't work with current-spec HTTPS. I've got some Pi's with Linux (and even RISC OS) on them, but I'm also a software developer, alternative OSes aren't what normal people want to spend their free time learning how to use just to get by in society.

If you want to work with others in an office environment, you're using either Microsoft Office or Google Docs for your spreadsheets, word processing, and presentations, because even the really good document compatibility of Open Office isn't quite good enough.

If you want to communicate with others at all, there is at least still email and webpages — those have not yet been totally subsumed by Gmail, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, DMing on X, etc. — but even then, not being available on major platforms is considered weird and eccentric and many potential contacts will drop you for that.

(Anecdote about how little effort normal people are willing to put into tech: When I first moved to Germany, I tried to set up a local SIM card. You need to register your identity when setting up the card around here. There is (or was) an app/website for that. On my first attempt, the website customer support people thought that I couldn't use a Mac to talk to them even though I was at that moment using a Mac to talk to them and they knew it. Also they thought that their SIM cards only worked with Android.)

> A Macbook (or any Apple product) isn't a essential item without alternatives.

Tell that to an employer who requires you to use a macbook, and only a macbook.

...or a Windows laptop and only such.

Or actually, requires you to use any specific device instead of any generic device.

if the company wants a specific device for a job they better pay for it themselves

Even within the system you have options and ignorance isn't a good excuse.

What, are they unable to build a large-scale social network from scratch? Kids these days.

Old ThinkPads still work great as it happens, but these days I use an MNT Reform. MacBooks definitely aren't the only option!

> What socialist laptop do you recommend?

You have options other than Macbooks. The communist kid with a Macbook is a meme for a reason, they're out of touch. It's absurd to call oneself a communist or socialist while buying one of the most expensive options from one of the biggest companies.

What a different example? It's easier to take a communist/socialist who drives a basic Corolla seriously than one who drives a BMW.

Sure. As a luxary goods, ye.

There was this time when "M$" was still a thing and Macintosh computers were contrarian though.

I feel it is somewhat of a nitpick concerning socialists. The picture of a class room of students with "Think different" caption and all MacBooks. Yupp.

I would argue not using FOSS software is worse than using Apple hardware. But normal people kinda don't know Linux is a thing they can use.