>

Can you plant a bouquet of flowers in the ground and they'll survive? No - they are missing roots/bulbs. They are only parts of plants. You don't see Home Depot selling bouquets of flowers because they aren't plants. Just like an apple isn't a plant.
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Please note that a change of view doesn't necessarily mean a reversal, or that the conversation has ended.
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It depends what you want plants for. 
To make a place look cheery and natural-ish? Sure, fake plants are fine. 
But if you want a pet substitute that needs fussing over and special care, a real plant is the way to go. 
And of course there's the oxygen-making aspect, although one plant has minimal effect. >

This is it exactly. There's also the question of growing food for some plants or pleasant smells for many flowering plants or even plants for...erm, medicinal or recreational use. >

You can better grow food outdoors than indoors. If you had 0 access to outdoor space this might be a benefit.
Smells are nice, but opening a window with plants outside would do the same AND allows you control over the smell in your house. >


You can better grow food outdoors than indoors

Not everyone has a yard.

If you had 0 access to outdoor space this might be a benefit.

So you recognize this is a valid reason

Smells are nice, but opening a window with plants outside would do the same AND allows you control over the smell in your house.

Again, not everyone has a yard. And you're assuming the everyone lives in a location were this is a valid choice. They might live somewhere overly hot or cold, maybe they in a high-crime area or maybe they work nights and sleep during the day. Maybe they live near a source of noise or somethin I have a friend who specifically grows food inside because not only does she live on the edge of the hood but she works nights and can only regularly garden during the day. >

Those are reasons, but I'm not sure if they are enough to tip the scales in favor of real plants over fake. It certainly makes live plants feel more appealing - but only for a few small use cases.
Edit: also, I lived somewhere with no yard, but had a balcony where I had plants. That can work for many people. >

Hmmm.... It's almost as if people have different values than you.

I lived somewhere with no yard, but had a balcony where I had plants. That can work for many people.

Not everyone has a balcony. >

I mean, that's kind of a rude way to put it. I know people have different values to me and this post is all about trying to understand them.
Also, there are many community gardens where people can rent little plots of land to grow things. And yes, obviously not everyone has access to that either, but it seems like you are ignoring that most people probably have access to some kind of space to grow things outside. It might change my mind if you had something concrete to show me that my assumption there is not true. >


but it seems like you are ignoring that most people probably have access to some kind of space to grow things outside.

You sure about that? I dont have access to those things and most of my friends and coworkers don't have access to those things. I mean, myself and others have given you a bunch of reasons someone might elect for real plants rather than fake plants and you're still arguing about it. >

You sure? Literally everyone I know has access to outdoor space. See how that holds no weight to you? It's true, but likely neither of our experiences reflects the actual data. 
Also, one person has CMV some. >

So you don't know anyone living in a city center or other urban area with no yard / balcony? That's a lot of people you'd relegate to a non-living plant existence. Myself included. >

For some people, sure! If you think of plants of decor, good fakes are great.
But personally, I think of my plants as projects. I get excited when I see one of my plants thrive, or when I can take in a failing plant and bring it back to life. I find it rewarding to remember buying a plant when it was small, and knowing that I've taken good enough care that it's now enormous. I love watching pothos vines stretch around my curtain rods and plants stands. There's a kind of pride of craftsmanship that comes with well-tended houseplants that I wouldn't get from fakes.
YMMV, but at the very least your view is not universally true. >

!delta
I hadn't considered how much of a hobby it could be. You can't do much with a fake plant after purchasing except look at them. There is certainly a different interaction that I think you drove home really well in your post helping me better understand how I actually may be feeling. >

Confirmed: 1 delta awarded to /u/Greedybogle (2∆).
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Live plants clean your air and provide a relationship. Caregiving is an important aspect of being a human.  
Fake plants decrease your air quality. They cannot provide a companion. They only have one aspect and that is fake beauty. >

I can see the benefit of improving air, but there are better systems for that, imo. 
The caregivers aspect is interesting though. Let me think on that. >

I like watching my plants grow, and the sense of accomplishment that comes with that.
Fake plants can’t do that.
Never mind the fact that fake plants are made of plastic that will take thousands of years to ever decompose. >

I like to see my plants grow. I really do. Especially the flowing ones, seeing the buds develop and start opening. I find it somewhat exciting.  
I like plants that smell, I look for them.  
I don't bring plants into the house that will hurt the cat, and that isn't a hardship. 
If you like artificial plants, that's fine for you, but not really my thing.  I'd find something differnt to put in those spaces. 
Sidenote - I just had this conversation with my wife. I bought her a hanging plant for X-mas, and she initially thought I was crazy for where I hung it, now she loves it and says since that works, we can have more. I was excited. >

It's 25 degrees where I am. But I still have fresh basil from indoor plants. Can't get that from fake or from outside. >

A gift of a bouquet of flowers is usually intended for indoor use but fake ones would go down very weirdly in my opinion. >

I totally agree, but a bouquet is not a plant and isn't what I'm talking about.
A fake bouquet is fine if you put it in a vase yourself, but is not an acceptable gift. >

How is a bunch of flowers not a plant? What would you call flowers if not plants?