Benefits

Path portability is not a cosmetic change and I have been bitten many time by it.

The second one to have the system under or directory /usr is tidier than the alternative. Everything can be done both ways albeit with minor difficulties. The question is if we never clean our home at which point it becomes intolerable? Maybe we get used to its quirks and its little foot guns here and there and even somebody depends on it xkcd style. But is this reason to never clean up? What are newcomers supposed to feel when everything feels so crufty and overloaded with history?

I understand that I am not the one that does the cleaning and tide up so my opinion doesn't carry any value here.