disagreement is fine. It would be a boring world if we all marched in step.
However, the debate has moved on (some time ago) as to what meets the industry standard of a
synthetic oil. It's not that vital to the definition of
synthetic what you start with. It's far more important what you end up with when the refining process is over. Critical are the size and shape of the
oil molecules. Relatively recent developments (last 15 years) in the petroleum sciences now make it possible to achieve uniformity in molecule size and behaviors without adhering to outmoded models of refining.
But of course you will still see boutique oils that like to tout their base stocks as being the only "true"
synthetic. Good marketing, but not current science.
As for bearings that "never wear out". I wish I had some too. what i've experienced are bearings that show zero measurable wear in the time and milage frame mentioned. Quite different from "never". That's fine, I don't expect to last forever either.
Z.