I think your problem will be definitively solved, sir. Do not soak any brush in hot water. Just warm enough that you can tolerate yourself. This is valid for the synthetic too.
As for your Simpson adventure, i will tell you a story, because i am Burundian. I hope you know where Burundi is. Suppose you are a Burundian of heavy physical constitution and you find yourself in a high society neighbourhood. Your belly is making strange noises, you feel a void in your stomach and you want desperately to sink your teeth into something with substance. You ask a newspaper stand if there is a restaurant nearby and he tells you "sure, there is the molecular gastronomy right in the corner". You don't really understand what molecular gastronomy is, but you rush to the restaurant with an ever growing appetite. You sit and you realize it is really a high quality restaurant. The tablecloth is fine linen, the menus are classy. You 'd really just want a steak with potatoes, but the dishes in the menu look much more complex.
The well dressed waiter approaches you and you start ordering. You grin and you order the seared duck breast with cherries and jus. The waiter suggests Pinot Noir as wine and asks if you prefer the 2010 or 2011 vintage... While you get always more impatient, you smile and reply confidently: "The 2011 of course! It was a particularly sunny year in Burgundy that year. I happened to be in Auxerre that year, so i remember clearly". After all, you don't want to pass as a savage Burundian! The waiter seems impressed and replies "excellent choice, sir!". Long story shorts, the dish arrives, the waiter unveils the dish, which is covered by a cloud of fumes. You can't understand why your dish seems like a volcano in eruption, but you smile and the waiter leaves. You wave your hand over the dish to clear the smoke and your heart sinks. The dish consists of 3 cherrys, 2 cuts of meat the size of a big coin and then it splattered with small, perfectly round stains of red jus and one big splash that is going diagonally across the plate. You don't know if you should eat or photograph it for an art exhibition. You devour it in 5 seconds and you think that this seemed just like a second appetizer...But it was the main dish... Long story short, you call for the bill, you make the compliments to chef, the waiter nods gracefully, you leave the restaurant call a taxi and tell the taxi driver: "Get me to the nearest steakhouse". You arrive, big hot steaks, thick like a man's thumb are sizzling over coal. You order steak with potatoes and a big beer. You happily burp and pay the much smaller bill, while the waitress says "hope you liked it". You reply "i wish i had known you earlier".
Or, as another example, your high society friend, calls you to a modern art expedition. You dress up and go. The artist is most acclaimed! You look at a painting and you see an eye, some spheres, a road and some squares. You look at the name of the painting and surprisingly it is called "Nymph bathing in the river". A well dressed gentleman comes next to you and comments "she is astonishing, isn't she?". You gather all your force to try to hide your surprise and you reply with calm "truly, look at the reflection of the light in her eyes! Look how the sunlight plays along her hair! The hand of a master! Only Rembrandt could make such a light play!". After all, you don't want to pass like the savage Burundian, do you! The gentleman stares in awe and replies "My God, you are right! I hadn't noticed!" And goes a bit further and tells another one to come look at the masterful light game of the painting.
What i mean is this. Modern art or duck breast, isn't for everyone. Dear sir, i am afraid you wanted to buy this brush (When Aliexpress has sales, it costs about 20 euros):
No need for conditioner, no drama. Because it just bends more by construction. Higher loft, less dense = softer. Certainly, it's chinese and cheap. So no duck breast for you...
But instead you bought the Simpson. Mistakes happen. The brush in the video doesn't scratch and it BENDS easily, because it has HIGHER loft. It is that simple. Certainly, it doesn't come with the prestige of the Simpson. If you want a prestigious brand to your liking, i suggest you buy a Muhle silvertip. It will be much to your liking and you will be able to show it off with great pride, since it will cost you as much as a Simpson.
But the synthetic will also serve you very well. Happy shaves!
Better this way, at least you don't lose your investment. With the synthetic, you will have to adapt a bit. The synthetic doesn't hold the water like a badger. You can soak it for 1 minute if you wish, but before using it, give it a good shake to lose the water. Otherwise the water will pour down on you when you face lather. With the synthetic you need to add few drops of water when needed. Otherwise the performance is stellar. Happy shaves, sir!
But, let us not be pessimists! I like better the idea that it is the badger that aged and not my face! 
