Formerly Certain was born from a simple realization: some of the beliefs I held most confidently were the ones I knew the least about.

For years, I accepted many ideas about history, politics, culture, law, and society because they were widely accepted, repeatedly reinforced, or aligned with the communities that I trusted. Like many people, I believed I was informed. I took pride in being on the Honor Roll every semester of grade school and for the majority of my higher education, and I spent many late nights on the internet in my youth to learn what was important to me. In 2025, I realized that what I had learned was only a fraction of the truth, if any. With the same rigor I had used to learn everything before, I now needed to apply it to relearn everything.

I started asking more questions and digging deeper than ever before. What began as curiosity and an effort to re-educate myself quickly became a habit, a fascination, and a nagging to share with others what I was learning, and still learning- in real time. One question led to another. One article led to another source. One historical event led to an entirely different perspective. Sometimes the evidence strengthened my original views, but more often than not, they were completely obliterated and challenged.

Formerly Certain is a collection of those explorations.

It can be humbling, and for some impossible, to admit when you are wrong, or when you have held the wrong positions. However, now more than ever, we need people who are not afraid to admit their mistakes, are willing to challenge previously proposed narratives, and put pride aside in the name of saving generations to come. Knowledge, real knowledge, is truly the only way.

This is not a platform dedicated to telling people what to think. It is not a partisan-biased platform. It is a platform dedicated to encouraging people to think deeply, question assumptions, examine evidence, and remain open to the possibility that none of us has the full story. Here, you’ll find essays, research, historical analysis, commentary, and personal reflections on topics that deserve more than a headline, a talking point, or a social media post. Some subjects may be controversial. Some may be uncomfortable. All of them approached with a commitment to curiosity, intellectual honesty, and independent inquiry.

The name “Formerly Certain” reflects a mindset, rather than a conclusion. It acknowledges that growth often begins when we become willing to revisit our assumptions and follow questions wherever they lead.

You don’t have to agree with every conclusion presented here. That is not the goal, nor the expectation. Instead, the goal is to create a space for thoughtful exploration, respectful disagreement, and the pursuit of a deeper understanding of the world around us. We must take our brains back, and this is my attempt to aid in this fight against our knowledge, which is our power.

Shanel T. Thomas.