Right and my hiking socks are wool. So they wick moisture away better than cotton, they don't stink nearly as bad, and they stay warm when wet. Oh, and they dry faster than cotton, too. I choose the mid-calf length, and just scrunch them down if I want something shorter than that. You may find a synthetic that does all that, in which case you're welcome to them. I've not had much luck in that department.

I do wear them when wearing my sneakers. You may have to tweak the laces a bit, but that shouldn't be a problem.

Why wear hiking boots? Because everyone does it. Well, except those who don't. Supposedly they give better ankle support, but one of the main reasons I wear sneakers is so that I can move my foot if I feel a twig or rock, thereby saving my (weak) right ankle. In boots I would invariably twist that ankle quicker than who flung the chunk. I know some people can feel the ground under their boots, and I'm proud of them. But I can't, so I don't wear them.