Why does parenthesis before exponents not apply to squaring a binomial? This must be a stupid question with an obvious answer that is hidden from me. No one I have found even mentions a conflict.
lets say I want to find the square $(2 + 3)^2 = 2^2 + 2\times2\times3 + 3^2$
Why do I not simplify first? Parenthesis first?   
Edit
To clarify for future views. The main confusion was why is the above problem always (in my limited experience) solved one way in situation A and another way in situation B...Z without ever being noted of why the method used is preferred for the given situation (again in my limited experience).
Thanks for the clarification. I think I get it now. In some cases it is arbitrary because the order is divorced from the output. 
In some cases you have an variable that you cannot add or subtract to simplify so you must use the distributive property. 
I suppose also you may not simplify to show the trinomial pattern of the output produced by the distributive property (in a pedagogical situation).

By the rules of precedence, we compute
$$ (2+3)^2 = 5^2 = 25.$$
By the same rules, we compute
$$2^2+2\cdot 2\cdot 3+3^2=4+12+9=25. $$
The very fact that both computations produce the same result justifies us to write down the interesting fact
$$ (2+3)^2=2^2+2\cdot 2\cdot 3+3^2.$$
