Catch 22
Meaning
A paradoxical situation from which an individual cannot escape because of contradictory rules.
Origin
The phrase 'Catch-22' was coined by Joseph Heller in his seminal 1961 satirical novel of the same name. Set during World War II, the book introduces a bizarre military regulation: a pilot can be grounded for insanity, but requesting to be grounded proves sanity, meaning they are fit to fly. This cruel, self-contradictory logic traps the protagonist, Captain Yossarian, and his fellow airmen in a bureaucratic nightmare. The novel brilliantly captured the absurdity of war and oppressive systems, imprinting the term 'Catch-22' onto the English language as the definitive label for any impossible, no-win situation.
Examples
- Applying for that job is a Catch 22; you need experience to get hired, but you can't get experience without being hired.
- Many new graduates face a Catch 22 when looking for their first professional role.