“[Diabolic] comes from the Greek word diabolos; “diabolic” is the term in contemporary English. Diabolos, interestingly enough, literally means “to tear apart” (dia-bollein). Now it is fascinating to note that this diabolic is the antonym of “symbolic.” The later comes from sym-bollein, which means “to throw together,” to unite. There lie in these words tremendous implications with respect to an ontology of good and evil. The symbolic is that which draws together, ties, integrates the individual in himself and with his group; the diabolic, in contrast, is that which disintegrates and tears apart. Both of these are present in the daimonic.”

― Rollo May, Love and Will

Rollo Reece May was an American existential psychologist and author of the influential book Love and Will. He is often associated with humanistic psychology and existentialist philosophy, and alongside Viktor Frankl, was a major proponent of existential psychotherapy. Wikipedia

Born: April 21, 1909, Ada, OH

Died: October 22, 1994