APAD: catch

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)?

haha, caughtBetween aRock&aHardPlace;-). But Insane 1s never

Don't quite get it. To me, the attempt is not the cause of

exemption impossible. It's impossible in nature

QuestionOwnSanity;-) On theMove, thx 4 covering my 6 today!

Dodge-22: Many a killer still gets away pleading insanity.

I don't understand the middle “insane“ part too:)

IMHMS but it says no where that a plea is the cause.

IMHMS: I might have missed something

Pleading insane means one's sane& therefore is denied?

Is it an argot？Example in a sentence？

绕糊涂了。

It's popular. Search for "catch-22 example" and 1st is

You can't get a job without experience, but you can't get

experience without a job.

Hope the example above helps :-)

Maybe 左右为难？；-）

进退两难，左右不是。

一个解脱方法：变成齐天大圣上天入地，管它左右与前后。；-)))

true, with help of crooked lawyers and paid docs.