Catch-22
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Its not accidental that their movements mirror the circular trajectory of their bomber planes.
The problem with adaptingCatch-22is that its satirical power lies almost entirely in its literary characteristics.
The novels circular, paradoxical style reflects the irrational foundation of military bureaucracy.
Youre callin me a liar now?
No what, sir?
No… what, sir?
While the series isnt unengaging, it nevertheless feels too fastidious for such inherently messy source material.
He knows the whole system is a sham and wants nothing to do with it.
The Air Forces mission might be to win the war.
His mission is to stay alive and get out of dodge.
Thats why he tries to appeal to Docs rationality after Cathcart raises the required mission count to 30.
He wants Doc to ground him because hes crazy, but Doc cant ground him because of Catch-22.
Docs relevant explanation goes thusly:
Anybody who wants to get out of combat duty isnt really crazy.
Orr is crazy and therefore he can get out of flying combat missions.
All he has to do is ask.
But as soon as he asks, hes no longer crazy, so he has to fly more missions.
To fly more combat missions is crazy, but to ask to opt out of them proves ones sanity.
This paradoxical rule keeps rational men like Yossarian in combat and obscures irrational abuses of power.
Its how bureaucracies operate and hierarchies are maintained.
All the while men die senseless deaths because a certain Colonel keeps raising the mission count.
The war might be just, but what good are the justifications if Yossarian dies before seeing its end?
Thats some catch, that Catch-22.
Its the best there is.
The series music mostly features early jazz and big band.
How long will it be before we see that awful moment?
