The big stuff should happen first, then the more granular operations
The โbig stuffโ is stuff that is defined in terms of something else. i.e. exponents are shorthand for repeated multiplicationโฆ and multiplication is shorthand for repeated addition, hence they have to be done in that order or you get wrong answers.
โWrong answersโ only according to our current order of operations, math still works if you, for example, make additions come first (as long as youโre consistent about it).
OFC it is a convention and to change it you would have to change all expressions ever written all at the same time, to avoid confusion between competing standards. Iโm not arguing that it should be changed, only that there is no โhigh truthโ behind it.
โWrong answersโ only according to our current order of operations
No, according to arithmetic.
math still works if you, for example, make additions come first
No, it doesnโt - order of operations proof. The only way it could work with addition first is if we swapped the definitions of addition and multiplication aroundโฆ but then we still have the same order of operations, all weโve done is swapped around what we call addition and multiplication!
there is no โhigh truthโ behind it.
There is when it comes to order of operations.
Letโs assume for a minute addition comes first. We know 2+3 is 5, and 5x4 is the same as 5+5+5+5=20. What is the issue with that?