Yes, this is a very important point that a lot of people miss. How are people supposed to learn to appreciate a genuine thing is if they are constantly swindled?
Also, people are not rational beings first and foremost. Sentimentalism makes them vulnerable, but that shouldn't mean that it's open season for swindlers. I can make my origami from any paper basically, but it feels good in a certain way to order special paper from Japan just for this reason. And I'd feel cheated if the paper turned out to be from anywhere else - despite being no different on a material level.
Also, people are not rational beings first and foremost. Sentimentalism makes them vulnerable, but that shouldn't mean that it's open season for swindlers. I can make my origami from any paper basically, but it feels good in a certain way to order special paper from Japan just for this reason. And I'd feel cheated if the paper turned out to be from anywhere else - despite being no different on a material level.