Catch-22

The title of Joseph Heller’s satirical American novel published in 1955 about US Army Air Force bomber crews in WWII. The best way to get out of bombing missions was on the grounds of insanity but there was a catch, known as Catch-22. Catch-22 stated that concern for one’s own safety was proof of a rational mind. Some aircrew were indeed crazy but as soon as they requested to be grounded, they were no longer considered crazy and had to fly more missions. The novel was extremely popular and the expression Catch-22 as a no-win or impossible situation soon passed into the language.