Why is that my laptop (and my previous laptops) have always had power inputs on the left side and it seems that over the years invariably whatever outlet I need to plug into is on the right ?

Observer bias—you notice annoying events more than convenient ones. I think an actual sidedness / asymmetry is highly unlikely here. Fwiw my lapop’s power is on the right.

Or you have left-leaning tendencies ;)

This problem won’t go away until power becomes transmitted wirelessly, ‘cutting the last wire’.

My MacBook is the first laptop I’ve had with the power input on the left. At work, my laptops power input is in the back. I agree with @gasman that you are most likely noticing it because it’s annoying you. Try turning around where you are sitting, the the outlet will be on your other side.

Of the three laptops I’ve had, all were different; one left, one right, and one rear.

I’ve had a mac laptop for about 10 years, hence the lefted-ness. I think I need to change the locations I go to with my laptop however. Power in the back makes some sense but those are harder to reach. Couldn’t they put the power input on both sides? I guess I personally probably don’t represent a big enough market.

Hmmm. This question made me realize that it’s true for me and my MacBook as well. However, in the kitchen, I could sit on the other side of the table, and it would be on the left side, but I don’t. In the living room, I could either choose an outlet to the left of the couch, or sit in the chair in front of the outlet that I normally use, but I never do either of those things either. In the guest room, the plug is on the right, but I run the cord behind the desk so it doesn’t matter, and in the office, the outlet is squarely in front of the chair, at desktop level, so it’s not an issue there either.

I think the problem is me, and not the computer.

LOL. Get a docking station and then you never have to wonder about it again!