phrase origin

[horgo]

catch 22

[rekstout]

From the novel of the same name by Joseph Heller in which Catch 22 stated that any serviceman trying to get discharged from the armed forces on the grounds of insanity couldn't be insane as a insane man wouldn't be trying to get discharged - or something like that. It is used to indicate an impossible situation e.g. Needing an address to get a job and needing a job to get a house.

[allen ives]

Right origin, slightly wrong explanation.

Catch-22 was defined in the novel by a character called Doc Daneeka, describing another character's (Pilot Orr) dilemma.

'Orr was crazy and could be grounded. All he had to do was ask; and, as soon as he did, he would no longer be crazy and would have to fly more missions. Orr would be crazy to fly more missions and sane if he didn't, but if he was sane he had to fly them. If he flew them he was crazy and didn't have to; but if he didn't want to he was sane and had to.'

Read it a few times to get the full gist.