Why white on right when setting up the chessboard

The main reason for always putting the white square in the lower right, is so that hundreds of years of analysis and chess literature, that make frequent references to the "light squared bishop" and the "dark squared bishop", and other references to light and dark squares, will be readable.

I also think that without that standardization, some players will visually/aesthetically grow to like one or the other orientation better.  Then there would need to be rules regarding which player gets to choose.

It's to create a standardized notation that works for theory. Another way to look at is why does b come after a in English alphabet? There's no need for the alphabet to be alphabetized but here we are. 

Good luck with THAT.

Actually, if you turn the board 90 degrees and basically run the a-h files backwards, the game is totally offputting and disorienting.

Did anyone actually play a game with the white square on the left? 

If you will, you would notice how the white king's side is completely destroyed if one follows a few 'by the book' rules.

No further comments your honours.