If WYSIWYG is REALLY not for you, you can:
Start Joplin and, if not already visible, toggle the Code View button so that the Layout button we are all used to is visible on the toolbar. As @laurent says, Joplin will remember this as your selected default from then on.
Then, add the below to userchrome.css
a.button[title="Code View"] {
display: none !important;
}
Quit and restart Joplin.
This will remove the Code View button from the toolbar so for you Joplin will look pretty much as it does now **.
(** At least this works with the 1.0.209 pre-release version)