was born in 1950. He writes poetry, music, and some philosophical essays. He has been joint owner and philosophy editor of Paradigm Publishers, Boulder, Colorado, US, since 2003.
“The only thing in life that Hank seems to appreciate is the part where you can get high or get off. Everything else is crap, crap whose length and breadth he’s happy to go on about if you will only let him. Why would people pay good money to go through that?” But once he gets past the brutality, philosopher Jason Potter is surprised to discover something like admiration for poetry’s most (in)famous hardman.
The question “Why do you go to Latvia so often?” triggers American philosopher Jason Potter to reflect upon his motives. His answer: “I come to Latvia to think.” But what is it about Latvia that makes it so congenial to thinking? Could it be the holiday atmosphere? The good friends, long conversations, and vodka? Or is it the endless, Latvian winter? All of these come together, says Potter, “jolting me inward at that thing I call myself and outward to others in a state less tinged by the careless creep of familiarity. I take you seriously. You respond in kind. What better reason to go anywhere?”
