In today's New York Times several arts critics weigh in on the topic of Lincoln Center's recent White Nights Festival, purportedly about the spiritual in music.

When I received the festival's slick, expensive flier I could see immediately that it was a marketing ploy. Isn't all music spiritual? Does the hype insure greater likelihood of a profound experience? Do expensive graphics and heavy paper equal anything more meaningful than money?

So what's the real problem? It's that we are so bombarded with glitz and noise that we (some generalized, non-existent we) do not trust ourselves to find something beautiful on its own terms, whether it be our child playing in the next room or a lesser-known performer in a club downtown.

Stick your neck out: The next time you hear something beautiful tell the player that you enjoyed it: Don't assume it's a frequently conveyed message. It is not.