The dogmatism hinted at may influence the interpretation of the human mind in a rather controversial manner. We all agree that human beings experience some feelings attached to their bodily needs and some feelings stemming from their social relations (e. g. shame and pride) - but do they have the same kind of universal experiences concerning the problems dealt with by Christian or existentialist philosophers, e. g. concerning the problem of being responsible for ones soul? The feeling selected to carry out this function in existential philosophy is angst. It has been analysed by Kierkegaard (in The Concept og Angst), by Heidegger (in Being and Time, § 40) and by Sartre (in Being and Nothingness, Chapter One, V). The crucial point in all these analyses is that angst is distinguished from fear: Human beings feel fear when confronting some scaring event outside themselves but in the feeling of angst they are really experiencing their very own essence, their freedom, their responsibility. And naturally, since it would be odd if people other than the philosophers had no clue whatsoever about their own essence, the feeling of angst has to be interpreted as a universal phenomenon. It has to be a fact of life, just as hunger or sexual appetite.
The controversial character of this claim becomes particularly evident in Heidegger's treatment of angst - probably because he is so focused on the universal meaning of his analysis. As mentioned above, Heidegger investigates into the basic structures of existence only to throw light on the fundamental conditions of human understanding. This is a theme of the utmost universality, touching upon the problems of epistemology and metaphysics, and really not an appropriate place to air one's preference for some particular, Christian og semi-Christian, lifestyle. So Heidegger starts out with some very general experiences from everyday life, e. g. the handling of tools, the use of signs and the awareness of contexts. And when he comes to the experience of angst he is well aware that this is not an everyday occurrence. Heidegger even admits that an original feeling of angst may be rather unusual - a problem he tries to solve by claiming that human beings usually flee this experience of their own essence (which is thus in a way constantly present and constantly absent at once). In my opinion, this is not a very convincing argument. The question is whether Heideggers angst is really a basic phenomenon in human life or rather a feeling nourished by particular ideologies. In general, Heidegger seems to realise that he might be suspected of interpreting life from a particularly Christian viewpoint.
Hopefully, some Springsteen fans have had the patience to follow all these philosophical roundabouts! For the point is that Springsteen can sound astonishingly much like Heidegger when he talks about angst. On the DVD released with Devils & Dust (2005) Springsteen explains the meaning of the album in the following words: These are all songs about people whose souls are in danger or at risk through where they are in the world or what the world is bringing to them. That's a human constant. - The last sentence shows that Springsteen is thinking of the risk mentioned in the same universal terms as existential philosophers. And when he continues it becomes clear, 1) that he is aware of the danger of generalising religious experiences, and 2) that he is talking about the concept of angst: And whether people are religious or spiritual or not that risk is something that people instinctively feel on a daily basis.
This essay may have aired some scepticism about the conceptual framework of existential philosophy. But it is not intended to propose a final judgement about it, neither pro nor contra. The sole purpose has been to throw some light on the kind of thinking characterising Bruce Springsteen and his songwriting. The man has a point of view, but a point of view only becomes a point of view if you can imagine another and divergent point of view. Otherwise, it is just an commonplace, something that no one really heard because it didn't really need to be said…