Paralyzing Self-Righteousness and the New York Phil

During the New York Philharmonic’s performance Tuesday night, it was interrupted by an iPhone.

The jarring ringtone—the device’s “Marimba” sound, which simulates the mallet instrument—intruded in the middle of the movement, emanating from the first row at Avery Fisher Hall.

…

“I had to ask him many times,” Mr. Gilbert said. “It was bizarre. Maybe he was just so mortified that he just shut down and was paralyzed.”

Oh, how we love an opportunity to cast judgment. It is in our deep depravity that we crave an opportunity for self-righteousness.

It is truly unfortunate that the man in the article about the philharmonic and Mahler did not silence his phone. I am a music lover with a degree in music composition. It is sad when such beautiful music is interrupted with distraction.

And yet, don’t miss how pleased the audience is to shout its disapproval. We shake our heads at cellphones. We honk our horns in traffic. We shout our disapproval, but all this shouting is just to drown out the reality that we ourselves each fall short not only of the glory of God but our own standard of self-righteousnes.

Sometimes its paralyzing, even to a front row subscriber at the New York Philharmonic.