Why do people keep buying Macs if they're constantly belly-aching about getting ripped off?
There are Hyundais that have similar specs to BMWs and Mercedes that sell at twice the price. Are BMW and Mercedes rip-offs too? Not to the people who buy them and care about more than trunk space or horsepower.
If you care about specs and nothing else, then Apple is NOT the brand for you. It's not brain surgery. Go buy a Win7 computer and be happy, never to whine on the internet ever again.
I for one prefer OS X, and I love the style of Apple's machines. I don't care quite as much that they don't have the bleeding-edge specs as much as I do that they're more-than-good-enough specs in a case that gives a very satisfying user experience.
If you're just looking objectively, Apple probably isn't worth it. If you're considering the entire user experience, i.e. the synergy of hardware, OS, software, and peripherals, then for many Apple is worth it.
But if it's not, stop whining and vote with your wallet.