Catch-22

The television miniseries Catch-22, released in 2019, is based on Joseph Heller's satirical novel of the same name. The story follows Captain John Yossarian, a U.S. Army Air Forces bombardier during World War II, stationed on a Mediterranean island. Yossarian desperately tries to survive the war, viewing it as a personal attack and believing the military intends to kill him.12

The central paradox, known as "catch-22," is a military regulation stating that a pilot is considered insane if he willingly flies dangerous missions. However, requesting to be grounded proves sanity, making him ineligible to be relieved. This creates an inescapable loop where sanity requires flying, but the desire to avoid flying proves sanity. The term "catch-22" has since entered the English language to describe any problematic situation with a solution denied by the problem itself.13