About the Author
I am senior at the University of Michigan studying Public Policy and Writing. Academically, I'm interested in comparative political science and economic policy, and intend to apply for graduate school to further study politics and policy. I was Editorial Page Editor of The Michigan Daily and before that was an opinion columnist and senior editor. I have also served in leadership roles in my cooperative house and worked as a consultant for small, Detroit-based businesses. In my free time, I like writing, walking, reading the news, and (of course) playing games.
I have been interested in government from about as far back as I can remember. When I was 6, during the 2008 presidential election, I remember being vocally supportive of Senator John McCain, despite my grandparents' disapproval. My middle name is Kane, and six-year-old me figured that if McCAIN was president, I would basically be related to the president. Since then, my feelings about government have become a tad more complicated, but the idealism is still there --- I believe, and try to show with Ocracy, that we don't have to deal with the systems we inherit. We can change them and there exists a better way to organize society.
I also love games --- from complicated, hours-long board games to Wordle. My favorite games, games that helped inspire Ocracy, include Sid Meier's Civilization Series, Diplomacy, Axis and Allies, and Oath. The best interactive games, I've found, encourage you to play a character. When I play a game with friends, my role is most often that of the villain. An arrogant, scheming tyrant who will do and say anything to win. I wanted to bring that same energy to Ocracy --- allow players to take on a persona the others can love to hate.