Jim Morrison was more than a singer. He was a poet and a philosopher. As a high school graduation present, he asked for the complete works of Nietzche. Morrison was also influenced by William Blake, Arthur Rimbaud, Aldous Huxley, Allen Ginsburg, and others. The Door’s song “Riders on the Storm” (a take on “Ghost Riders in the Sky” by Stan Jones) shows the influence of Heidegger. The phrase “into this world we’re thrown” comes from Heidegger’s concept of thrownness describing human existence.

But in this song, Morrison also makes reference to the role of women and the female consciousness:

“Girl, you gotta love your man. Take him by the hand, make him understand. The world on you depends.”

Even Jim understood that the world is too masculinized and needs a maternal touch for its salvation. Unless women respect their female consciousness and help to impose this consciousness with the same force men have imposed theirs, the world will be destroyed.

(from COOL BREEZE,  THE AGE OF RECONFIGUARATION, Cynthia Korzekwa © 2019 )