The 'everyone is 12' joke-theory is actually just essentially true.

In the US, the average adult person in fact is no more literate or 'numerate' than a 12 year old, a 5th grader.

The average person literally is a tween, in terms of higher thought capacity.

Again... this is not a joke, it is just actually true.

Apply George Carlin logic to this.

50% of American adults are less mentally capable than 12 year olds.