>>16723587
"It's just articles" spinning doesn't help understand it, as you correctly point out. But there is no more intuitive method to understand it than this explanation that requires undergrad math:
for some things, you need to rotate things TWICE till they are at the starting point/value of "1" again. That is because after a single rotation, they will be at the value "-1", NOT positive "1".
The spin of particles reflects that. The number corresponds to that property.

It CANNOT be dumbed down more or made more intuitive.