I find it interesting that when people (myself included) move on to second and third planes, they always thing that they are somehow majically easier to fly than a trainer. What people tend to forget after they flown for a while is how hard it was to learn the basics such as take off, landing, and everything in between. Sure, after you've mastered the basics, then you start to realize just how much a trainer fights control inputs. At first, though, that "fighting" is actually saving your butt! After a while, this becomes a nuissance, and a person moves onto a second, more "point and fly" model. Now, they are ready for point and fly, and this seems easier. Imagine trying to learn how to land a plane that comes in at over 30 mph. Now, I have a hard time slowing a plane down for a landing. I like landing them hot. You can't land a trainer hot--it will keep on flying.
To summarize--trainers only become "harder" to fly after you've mastered basic skills and the self-righting characteristics are actually fighting you and what you are asking the plane to do. After that point, a point and fly plane becomes much more desireable. Trainers are good for just that--training. There is a reason the military spent millions developing planes like T-6's and T-38's and so on--it is an important step that shouldn't be skipped.

Somehow I hope that comes out as a complete thought, and not just a bunch of rambling...