It is not dissimilar at all to a mouse, or a pen, or a screwdriver, or any of those things. It's just that those are older tools compared to the touch interfaces we currently have and use to great effect, without styli. And that is awesome. That is a great thing, a beautiful simplification, and it works, and that's amazing.
You're of course welcome to use them if you prefer, but what Apple did (hey, you started it) was create a device which was simple enough and useful enough without a short stick to make that short stick as antiquated as a mouse or a pen.
They made the short stick obsolete, because it adds unneeded additional complexity. I resent your assertion that people believe this is a better method just because Apple made it that way; as though all logic and truth comes from the Great Jobs in the sky and is as He said it, amen. Quite simply, screw that. It's better because it's a simpler basic design, that's all.
The irony is that people are buying those little rubber iPhone/iPad styli like hotcakes these days. I really wish I were the person who came up with that, because the royalties must be rolling in. And damn they're good for Draw Something; you should see my girlfriend's mom's drawings, they're incredible. I admit that styli are excellent for those specialized purposes.
But for the basic use of a touch-sensitive device? As an integral part of the UI experience? No thanks. Keep it simple, stupid.