--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Evil, in this system of ethics, is that…" description: "\"Evil, in this system of ethics, is that which tears apart, shuts out the other person, raises barriers, sets people against each other.\" — Rollo May" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e5/rollo-may-1295_barriers_evil-in-this-system-of-ethics-is-that-wh_179650.jpg" --- # Evil, in this system of ethics, is that which tears apart… ![“Evil, in this system of ethics, is that which tears apart, shuts out the other person, raises barriers, sets people against each other.” quote by Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e5/rollo-may-1295_barriers_evil-in-this-system-of-ethics-is-that-wh_179650.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e5/rollo-may-1295_barriers_evil-in-this-system-of-ethics-is-that-wh_179650.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e5/rollo-may-1295_barriers_evil-in-this-system-of-ethics-is-that-wh_179650.jpg) > “Evil, in this system of ethics, is that which tears apart, shuts out the other person, raises barriers, sets people against each other.” [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Evil creates division, isolating individuals and building barriers that pit people against one another. **In simple terms:** Evil separates people. Key Takeaway Recognize and dismantle divisive forces. Themes ethics conflict division Mood critical reflective Type analytical inspirational When to use this quote - political discourse - personal relationships - community building Key Concepts social psychology morality Questions to Reflect On - What barriers do you see in your community? - How can empathy reduce division? A Different Perspective Evil can also arise from systemic issues beyond individual intent. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Barriers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barriers/) [Ethics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ethics/) [Ethics Tears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ethics-tears-1926216/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Evil Ethics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil-ethics-1926215/) [Existential](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existential/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Raises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/raises/) [Shuts Person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shuts-person-1926217/) [Tears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tears/) [Tears Apart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tears-apart-1095827/) ## Related quotes > [“What is worse than doing evil, is being evil” (Ethics, p.67). To lie is wrong, but what is worse than the lie is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/what-is-worse-than-doing-evil-is-being-evil-ethics-p-67-to-lie-is/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [Sometimes what holds you together and what tears you apart are the same things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-what-holds-you-together-and-what-tears-you-apart-are-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Lover and fighter at heart is the constant battle within that tears me apart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raghib-clitso/lover-and-fighter-at-heart-is-the-constant-battle-within-that-tears/) [Raghib Clitso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raghib-clitso/) > [The tension between Jews and Arabs tears us apart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benny-gantz/the-tension-between-jews-and-arabs-tears-us-apart/) [Benny Gantz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benny-gantz/) > [“Death brings us together, but yet tears us apart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-price-billy/death-brings-us-together-but-yet-tears-us-apart/) [Ray Price Billy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-price-billy/) > [“Don’t allow the physical connection that is intended to bring you together as one to be the very thing that tears you apart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-fileta/don-t-allow-the-physical-connection-that-is-intended-to-bring-you/) [Debra Fileta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-fileta/) > [So before life tears us apart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/so-before-life-tears-us-apart/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Artistic symbols and myths speak out of the primordial, preconscious realm of the mind which is powerful and chaotic. Both symbol and myth are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/artistic-symbols-and-myths-speak-out-of-the-primordial-preconscious/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [A historical perspective can also help free us from the ever-present danger -- especially at danger in the social sciences -- of absolutizing a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/a-historical-perspective-can-also-help-free-us-from-the-ever-present/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [Terrorism and the whole drug scene are vivid examples of the fact that what persons abhor most of all in life is the possibility…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/terrorism-and-the-whole-drug-scene-are-vivid-examples-of-the-fact/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [Indeed, compulsive and rigid moralism arises in given persons precisely as the result of a lack of sense of being. Rigid moralism is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/indeed-compulsive-and-rigid-moralism-arises-in-given-persons/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [When we are dealing with human beings, no truth has reality by itself; it is always dependent upon the reality of the immediate relationship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/when-we-are-dealing-with-human-beings-no-truth-has-reality-by-itself/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [Existential psychotherapy is the movement which, although standing on one side on the scientific analysis owed chiefly to the genius of Freud , also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/existential-psychotherapy-is-the-movement-which-although-standing-on/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [Our thesis is that symbols and myths are an expression of man's unique self-consciousness, his capacity to transcend the immediate concrete situation and see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/our-thesis-is-that-symbols-and-myths-are-an-expression-of-man-s/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [One must have at least a readiness to love the other person, broadly speaking, if one is to be able to understand him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/one-must-have-at-least-a-readiness-to-love-the-other-person-broadly/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) ## More by Rollo May > [Human freedom involves our capacity to pause between the stimulus and response and, in that pause, to choose the one response toward which we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/human-freedom-involves-our-capacity-to-pause-between-the-stimulus-and/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [Political freedom is to be cherished indeed. But there is no political freedom that is not indissolubly bound to the inner personal freedom of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/political-freedom-is-to-be-cherished-indeed-but-there-is-no-political/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [Joy is the effect which comes when we use our powers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/joy-is-the-effect-which-comes-when-we-use-our-powers/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [In religion, it is not the sycophants or those who cling most faithfully to the status quo who are ultimately praised. It is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/in-religion-it-is-not-the-sycophants-or-those-who-cling-most/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [One of the few blessings of living in an age of anxiety is that we are forced to become aware of ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/one-of-the-few-blessings-of-living-in-an-age-of-anxiety-is-that-we/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [Intimacy requires courage because risk is inescapable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/intimacy-requires-courage-because-risk-is-inescapable/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [Artists do not run away from non-being, but by encountering and wrestling with it, force it to produce being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/artists-do-not-run-away-from-non-being-but-by-encountering-and/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [“Technology is the knack of so arranging the world that we do not experience it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/technology-is-the-knack-of-so-arranging-the-world-that-we-do-not/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [By the creative act, we are able to reach beyond our own death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/by-the-creative-act-we-are-able-to-reach-beyond-our-own-death/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [Joy is the zest that you get out of using your talents, your understanding, the totality of your being, for great aims...That's the kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/joy-is-the-zest-that-you-get-out-of-using-your-talents-your/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [One must have at least a readiness to love the other person, broadly speaking, if one is to be able to understand him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/one-must-have-at-least-a-readiness-to-love-the-other-person-broadly/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [Man is the "ethical animal" ethical in potentiality even if, unfortunately, not in actuality. His capacity for ethical judgment like freedom, reason and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/man-is-the-ethical-animal-ethical-in-potentiality-even-if/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [We receive love — from our children as well as others — not in proportion to our demands or sacrifices or needs, but roughly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/we-receive-love-from-our-children-as-well-as-others-not-in-proportion/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [The opposite of courage in our society is not cowardice, it is conformity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/the-opposite-of-courage-in-our-society-is-not-cowardice-it-is/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [The personal freedom to think & feel & speak authentically & to be conscious of so doing is the quality that distinguishes us as human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/the-personal-freedom-to-think-feel-speak-authentically-to-be/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) [Explore all 259 Rollo May quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) ## More Barriers quotes > [Your aunt and uncle will be proud, though, won't they?" said Hermione as they got off the train and joined the crowd thronging toward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/your-aunt-and-uncle-will-be-proud-though-won-t-they-said-hermione-as/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The gear you can't afford is not the barrier keeping you from success. Gear has very little to do with photography.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chase-jarvis/the-gear-you-can-t-afford-is-not-the-barrier-keeping-you-from-success/) [Chase Jarvis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chase-jarvis/) > [All of the barriers to innovation in the energy sector are arguments for a big commitment to public investment. Only the public sector can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nordhaus/all-of-the-barriers-to-innovation-in-the-energy-sector-are-arguments/) [Ted Nordhaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nordhaus/) > [The "health, education, and welfare" section of government is another boondoggle. First we manufacture indigent and superfluous people by legal monopolies in land, money…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurance-labadie/the-health-education-and-welfare-section-of-government-is-another/) [Laurance Labadie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurance-labadie/) > [Security is a component of everyday life that one spending time in Washington, D.C., gets accustomed to. Metal detectors, police vehicle barriers and heavily-armed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-crapo/security-is-a-component-of-everyday-life-that-one-spending-time-in/) [Mike Crapo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-crapo/) > [The biggest obstacles to our progress exist within our own lives in the form of cowardice and the tendency to give up. Breaking through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senora-roy/the-biggest-obstacles-to-our-progress-exist-within-our-own-lives-in/) [Senora Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/senora-roy/) > [I feel that there are a few things in the world without cultural barriers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-chan/i-feel-that-there-are-a-few-things-in-the-world-without-cultural/) [Jackie Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-chan/) > [English literature is a glorious inheritance which is open to all - there are no barriers, no coupons, and no restrictions. In the English…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/english-literature-is-a-glorious-inheritance-which-is-open-to-all/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [Friendship embraces innumerable ends; turn where you will it is ever at your side; no barrier shuts it out; it is never untimely and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/friendship-embraces-innumerable-ends-turn-where-you-will-it-is-ever/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [I've cosponsored legislation to establish a lend-lease program to simplify bureaucratic barriers and allow a speedier transfer of U.S. military equipment to Ukraine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-waltz/i-ve-cosponsored-legislation-to-establish-a-lend-lease-program-to/) [Michael Waltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-waltz/) > [Don't be afraid of what you want. This is your time. The barriers are down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-freeman/don-t-be-afraid-of-what-you-want-this-is-your-time-the-barriers-are/) [Morgan Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-freeman/) > [Fear is the single biggest barrier to creativity. Unless we're brave enough to risk looking foolish, we'll inevitably find ourselves sticking to the status…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-linkner/fear-is-the-single-biggest-barrier-to-creativity-unless-we-re-brave/) [Josh Linkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-linkner/) > [He looked at my lips. I suddenly found myself wanting to lick his. 'Yes,' he replied, his eyes going molten. My breath caught in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-macalister/he-looked-at-my-lips-i-suddenly-found-myself-wanting-to-lick-his-yes/) [Katie MacAlister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-macalister/) > [What do you have to surrender? A drop has to dissolve into the ocean to become the ocean. And a drop cannot be greater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nirmala-srivastava/what-do-you-have-to-surrender-a-drop-has-to-dissolve-into-the-ocean/) [Nirmala Srivastava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nirmala-srivastava/) > [“One way to generate a precise customer value proposition is to think about the four most common barriers keeping people from getting particular jobs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-w-johnson/one-way-to-generate-a-precise-customer-value-proposition-is-to-think/) [Mark W. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-w-johnson/) [Browse all 1,191 Barriers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barriers/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Evil, in this system of ethics, is that which tears apart, shuts out the other person, raises barriers, sets people against each other.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Rollo May" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/evil-in-this-system-of-ethics-is-that-which-tears-apart-shuts-out-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Barriers" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/evil-in-this-system-of-ethics-is-that-which-tears-apart-shuts-out-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e5/rollo-may-1295_barriers_evil-in-this-system-of-ethics-is-that-wh_179650.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e5/rollo-may-1295_barriers_evil-in-this-system-of-ethics-is-that-wh_179650.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e5/rollo-may-1295_barriers_evil-in-this-system-of-ethics-is-that-wh_179650.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Evil, in this system of ethics, is that which tears apart, shuts out the other person, raises barriers, sets…” — Rollo May", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Rollo May", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Evil, in this system of ethics,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/evil-in-this-system-of-ethics-is-that-which-tears-apart-shuts-out-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/evil-in-this-system-of-ethics-is-that-which-tears-apart-shuts-out-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```