Offramp Politics

Offramp Politics

Ignition

Timing, stress, and the illusion of control

Thomas Jason Anderson's avatar
Thomas Jason Anderson
Jan 26, 2026
∙ Paid

Wood can sit in air for years without burning.

Oxygen is all around it.
The chemistry is already favorable.
The fuel is present.
The oxidizer is present.

And still, nothing happens.

Not because combustion is impossible.

Because the system has not yet crossed the activation threshold.

In basic chemistry, this is one of the first lessons. A reaction can be favora…

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