Because as long as you hit your daily protein requirements, it doesn't really matter all that much. Shakes just give an easy way to ingest more whey than you may otherwise. Very strict protein timing was debunked by the very researchers you're throwing shade on.
But sure, by all means if you think the shakes are absorbed by the body the same way as solid food go for it.
Based on the biology and mechanisms, that is what I think. The only real difference is speed of metabolism, but that only matters if you're not eating with any regularity throughout the day. Once you hit a certain level of protein quality, you don't really get any additional out of it... every animal-based protein source I can think of checks that box.
