I've been mountain biking since 1990, and my first few tries with a dropper really left me underwhelmed. Like you, I was so used to getting back over the seat, the dropper seemed like a detriment as I lost the seat as a reference point.
But, more dropper experience combined with a newer school bike (Ragley Marley hardtail with a slacker front end and a longer front center), has shown me the value of it. Rather than get way back--which stretches out my arms and reduces control--I just drop the seat and stay centered on the bike. It's a new technique of riding, but it really works well.
The dropper is also fun to use on bermed or fast corners. Dropping my center of gravity really let me hit the corner harder.
