This was covered in “1984” when Winston was convinced (the hard way) that we don’t have the freedom to believe 2 + 2 = 4.
The answer is whatever you want it to be.
We have the freedom to believe 2+2 is whatever the party says it is.
It is even worse now.
When your kid says 12+16 = 28, and the teacher marks it as wrong.
Happened to us. We were called in to the teacher as our child wasn’t doing it the new math way. We told the teacher just keep marking it as “wrong” - we don’t care, as long as it is the correct answer.
Ours just did it the “old fashioned” way in her head. New math would have gone something like:
12=10
16=20
So that makes 30.
Then add in 2 (from the 12) so that is 32.
But subtract the 4 (it was 16, not 20),
so 32-4 = 28! EASY!!??