I've heard the exact opposite about PCs. They are nothing but worm farms and private boxes for hackers to jack off in. I never had a virus on my MAC nor have I ever been hacked. That "couple grand" gives you unparalleled piece of mind so you can concentrate on more important things.
You heard from people who don't know security then, or are at least very biased about it. Unlike me, who you can totally trust
Ask the hackers themselves. As for "peace of mind" - I have UAC (laugh all you want, those who joke don't really understand security) and a great free AV program that is configured so I don't even notice that it's there. But even running with UAC off and no AV at all, as I have done for long stretches in the past, I have never once caught anything. Hell, a good hosts file and a dose of common sense will protect you as well as any AV product. For some people, sandboxing themselves with a Mac may be the best option. Expensive, but if that's the only way to keep them safe from themselves, it's their prerogative. I can't speak for anyone else, but I don't spend my money on such things. Same reason I don't usually buy extended warranties
Kidding aside, I was an avid PC user once. After my second PC went to the craps over viruses and couldn't support the amount of graphic work and media work I was doing at the time
No offense, but these are both your fault, not the computer. I have yet to see a properly patched and updated PC ever catch a virus on its own just sitting there with no user interaction whatsoever. To be honest, it's partially Microsoft's fault for making the default accounts administrators. Or I suppose you could blame the OEMs. Regardless, it's just not a great idea.
As for "supporting the amount of graphic work and media work" you were doing, that's not a PC vs Mac thing. Macs get old too, and if your PC wasn't old, then it's usually pretty simple to upgrade either the hardware or software (or both) to support your needs. And still cheaper than buying a new Mac. Hell you could buy a whole new PC that fits your needs for a lot less. But again, if you just can't help investigating every link and popup that comes across your screen by all means "secure" yourself with a Mac
At least in a few years you'll have your kid as an excuse
The debate is silly because it all boils down to personal preference and what you are doing with your computer.
Fixed. Unless it's gaming