Sounds like something a non-aeron owning peasant would say to me.

I don't disagree, but even with some unconscious psychological bias, I still think I'd have had some back pain or _something_ creeping in by now after a year even if I was just fooling myself! Whereas all of my previous chairs would leave my body with some sort of noticeable fatigue after a few hours.

I'd liken it to Apple gear. Yes it is arguably overpriced objectively speaking, but it is still genuinely well made (although let's not mention butterfly keyboards...)

That’s true for OP’s case, but many people get their taste of Aerons for free, supplied by their employer in their office. The generally ecstatic response to them is genuine.