| Revision as of 08:06, 8 June 2002 editAp (talk | contribs)2,137 editsm stubby start | Revision as of 09:15, 8 June 2002 edit undoVicki Rosenzweig (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users6,780 edits attempt to explain common meaning of this term; someone please check.Next edit → | ||
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| '''Catch-22''' is a novel by ] about the madness of war. | '''Catch-22''' is a novel by ] about the madness of war. Specifically, it follows a number of American soldiers during World War II. | ||
| Within the book, ''catch-22'' is the circular logic that prevents anyone from being invalided out of the military on the grounds of insanity: asking to be excused from flying bombing missions on the grounds of insanity is treated as proof of sanity. The phrase has become common to refer to any similar self-referential policy. | |||
Revision as of 09:15, 8 June 2002
Catch-22 is a novel by Joseph Heller about the madness of war. Specifically, it follows a number of American soldiers during World War II.
Within the book, catch-22 is the circular logic that prevents anyone from being invalided out of the military on the grounds of insanity: asking to be excused from flying bombing missions on the grounds of insanity is treated as proof of sanity. The phrase has become common to refer to any similar self-referential policy.