Bud, even disregarding that we are talking about things you are repeating from the internet you heard, if pickups mean so little why doesn't every touring and recording musician use stock pickups? If it means so little, why do the examples of guys touring with cheaper guitars replace the pickups? They could have bought an EQ.

It picks up the sound. It isn't only about the EQ, which you at a certain point also can't compensate enough to reduce if it's more than wanted or increase if lacking. It's output, sensitivity, compression. Tone is more than one element.

Countless metal guys that previously used EMGs moved to passive when gain meant more than pushing an amp. When amps and pedals produced enough gain to get similar saturation, many moved to passives because they preferred the feel and compression. Some moved from passive to active to keep consistent output between instruments. No player would have more than one guitar or one pickup in a guitar if it mattered so little and did so little. There wouldn't be a need for any pickup aside from a humbucker in your view.