Meaning:
`Catch-22' is a paradox in which the attempt to escape makes escape impossible.
Background:
The title of Joseph Heller's novel, written in 1953 and published in 1961,
(properly titled `Catch-22' - with a hyphen). The first chapter was also
published in a magazine in 1955, under the title `Catch-18'.
The paradox is presented as the trap that confined members of the US Air
Force. The `catch' was this:
It was effectively impossible to be exempted from highly dangerous bombing
missions on the grounds of insanity.
Anyone who applied for exemption proved himself to be sane (after all,
that's what any sane person would do).
Anyone who didn't apply must be crazy (after all, it was so dangerous).
So, those who applied for exemption were considered sane and those who were
insane didn't apply. Either way, sane or insane, they were sent on the
missions.
This might be described logically as, `damned if you do and damned if you
don't`, `the vicious circle`, `a chicken and egg situation`, or `heads I win,
tails you lose`.
Catch 22 is one of the most widely misused expressions in the language.
- www.phrases.org.uk [edited]
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Tired of pleading ignorance each time I heard the phrase, I even tried to read
the book but gave up before 5%. In a few sentences, Gary Martin
(www.phrases.org.uk) explains it well. From now on, I'll watch out for abuses.
I think the original catch-22 situation was purely made-up. 'Insanity' would've
manifested in ways other than flying bombing missions, and for an official
exemption plea sounds unlikely colloquial. Who needed to ask to be exempted on
the grounds of insanity when he could say battle fatigue in WWII (now PTSD)?
