Are faux meats really such a bad thing?

Having just got back from our favourite vegetarian Chinese restaurant - we frequent several in the Toronto area, but our favourite is way out in the suburbs of Scarborough, a trek that we think is worth the effort - I got to thinking about something I have heard from several different sources over the years: why do vegetarians and vegans eat mock or "fake" meats, and isn't that kind of hypocritical?
In short, we do it because we can and because it tastes good, and no it isn't hypocritical.
The concept of producing vegan versions of popular meat dishes apparently dates back to 7th century Japan, although we have mainly encountered it in Buddhist Chinese restaurants, so there is clearly a Chinese tradition too. There is also a Jewish tradition, which includes a vegetarian version of chopped liver. Mock beef, pork, chicken, duck, sausage, prawn, fish, you name it - for pretty much anything you can find on a regular Chinese restaurant menu you can find a vegan equivalent in a vegetarian Chinese restaurant. Veggie burgers, sausages, wieners, turkey, paté, pepperoni and bacon are widely available in supermarkets and in many restaurants, fast food and otherwise, sometimes employing cute, punny labels like "chick-un", "neatballs". "cheez", etc. Hell, I've even tried a veggie haggis and vegan tuna, although they were both just about as bad as I remember the real things being. A plethora of up-market vegan restaurants have also popped up in Toronto recently, many of which produce their own delicious vegan versions of cheese, egg, mayonnaise, gravy, etc, etc.
Some vegetarians and some meat-eaters find this hypocritical in some way, and some vegans consider it downright disagreeable, even repugnant, as though we are letting the side down in some obscure manner. Personally, I've never understood why. Most vegetarians are not vegetarian because they don't like the taste of meat, but for a variety of other reasons, and most convert to vegetarianism after some years of being meat-eaters, so why begrudge them vegan versions of familiar dishes and comfort foods? It is a quick and easy way of obtaining good quality protein in a familiar and easy format, and no-one ever said that being vegetarian or vegan had to be hard, did they?
There is also apparently a movement against vegetarian options being stocked in supermarkets along with their meat equivalents, rather than in a separate section, as though it would be a major problem if a meat-eater mistakenly picked up a veggie burger by mistake! France, that nation of paranoid foodies, has even passed a law prohibiting stores from calling faux meat "meat".
So, whether it's Quorn in the UK, Gardein or Beyond Meat in the US, or Yves here in Canada, let's celebrate being able to find good quality comfort food again. There is nothing inherently wrong in craving a good dose of umami, or even saltiness, from time to time, and wanting a wicked break from lentils and kale. Often, it may not be a healthy choice - many faux meats have high sodium and fat contents - and don't think too hard about the farming methods and industrial processing employed in the commercial production of tofu (or wheat gluten for that matter). But if it tastes good, let's not overthink it, let's just enjoy!