I use a bit less of the Hadleyverse than my colleagues like.  But ggplot2 has a number of advantages over base graphics (even if you were to figure out base graphics).  One being the plot is a structure or value (returned by plot construction) and not a bunch of side effects happening in a viewport.  This orientation is much more compatible with functional programming (the author hints at this with the &quot;compatible with piping&quot; point).