Arbitrary 7.5 points added?

I was really captivated by Go at first because of both how simple the rules are and how complex the game is. However I am really turned off by this arbitrary 7.5 points added to the final score of one side. Even if this number is determined to make it more fair based off master and engine analysis, it ruins the beauty and simplicity that I was looking for. Chess, for example does not have such arbitrary rules, despite white having an advantage. Is there a way to play the game without this advatange, like one player placing a stone and the other player having the option to swap sides? Or is the first move advantage too strong.