Doctor Fishypants

Hello there! My name is Brian Fishman. Right now, you may be asking yourself any one of the following questions:

1. Who is Brian Fishman?

2. Why does he have a blog?

3. Why am I reading said blog?

I’d love to answer these questions for you, but I don’t really know how. Let’s just start typing and see where we end up, shall we?

As I said before, astute reader, my name is Brian Fishman. I am a graduate student at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. I have spent the majority of my educational career preparing to be a physician. Recent events have somewhat derailed that goal, and it’s possible that I may be looking at a career change. I’ve become a bit disillusioned with the practice of medicine in this country, and I honestly have no idea what I’d like to do with my life just yet. But you’re welcome to come along for the ride as I figure that stuff out.

When I wasn’t cramming every last detail of biological and psychological sciences into my brain, I was playing video games. Ever since my 5th birthday, when I got a Nintendo Entertainment System with the Super Mario Bros./Duck Hunt/World Class Track Meet combo cart, I’ve been an avid game player. Twenty-some years later, what was once a child’s hobby has grown into an adult obsession. I own nearly every video game console back through the Magnavox Odyssey, and with roughly 1000 games in my collection, it’s safe to say that I spend entirely too much of my time and money in this industry.

I’ve also spent a good deal of time over on GameSpot.com, where you’ll find most of my thoughts on the video game industry. So, if I already have a blog over at GameSpot, why create one here? The short answer is that I have no idea. I wanted to give something new a try. Lately, I’ve been thinking about how poorly video games are portrayed in the media, the general perception that people who play games are lazy teenagers with no ambition, and recent tragic events in which the games industry is used as a scapegoat to shoulder some of the blame for poor parenting, mental handicaps, or kids who have somehow fallen through the cracks. While there are certainly some valid concerns about the potential harmful effects of video games, I feel like there isn’t enough being said about how games can be used as a positive force for education, entertainment, and socialization. So, hopefully, a lot of the posts I make here will discuss some of these issues.

Well, I guess that covers the first two questions. As for the third, I have no idea why you’re reading this. Maybe you followed me over from GameSpot or Facebook. Maybe you stumbled upon this page and were so enamored by the glorious header image of our favorite video game mascot that you decided to stick around and see what was up. Or maybe you’re someone I’ve actually met in the real world! Yes, apparently life does exist outside of the internets. Never would have guessed.

So, please, make yourselves at home. Drop me a line, post a comment, add my RSS feed, or visit the sites over there on the right-hand side of the page. I only have two rules: enjoy yourselves, and don’t take anything I say too seriously. I’m here to have fun.