Before the "they're not real/alive, they're AI chatbots" brigade comes in I'll give you the simplest answer: The writers just didn't think about it that much and likely didn't expect their players to think about it that much. So they both want you to empathize with the named Endless and feel a little bad for turning them off, but no so much that you go well if these people are kinda alive then I'm no better than an ascian.