What is the moral of the story in Catch-22?

Question: What is the moral of the story in Catch-22!?
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The novel Catch 22 has to be interpreted from various perspectives:
One of the first themes developed in the novel is the question of what is right to do in a basic moral dilemma/social dilemma/prisoner's dilemma; where a person can cooperate with others to their collective greater payoff; or can sell them out by not cooperating, and reap even greater benefits as an individual!. Yossarian is presented as having decided upon and relishing the immoral choice to such questions: "Yossarian throbbed with a mighty sense of accomplishment each time he gazed at [the officers' club building] and reflected that none of the work that had gone into it was his," which solidly casts Yossarian as an anti-hero to the reader!. Yossarian (and Doc Daneeka) wonder 'why me' when it comes to taking risks when others aren't!. To this, Major Major asks Yossarian, "But suppose everybody on our side felt that way," to which Yossarian replies, "Then I’d certainly be a damned fool to feel any other way!. Wouldn’t I!?"

Another theme is the turning on their heads of our notions of what people generally think of as morally right or wrong, particularly patriotism and honor, which, because they are simplistic ideas, lead most of the airmen to accept abusive lies and petty rules of bureaucrats, though Yossarian is modeled whole-heartedly disregarding all such notions!. When Major Major asks why he wouldn't fly more missions, Yossarian answers:

"I’m afraid!."
"That’s nothing to be ashamed of," Major Major counseled him kindly!. "We’re all afraid!."
"I’m not ashamed,’ Yossarian said!. ‘I’m just afraid!."

Several themes flow into one another, for example, 'that the only way to survive such an insane system is to be insane oneself,' is partially a take on Yossarian's answer to the Social dilemma (that he would be a fool to be any other way); and another theme, 'that bad men (who sell out others) are more likely to get ahead, rise in rank, and make money,' turns our notions of what is estimable on their heads as well!.

Heller suggests that bureaucracies, especially when run by bad or insane men, lead the members of the organization to trivialize important matters (e!.g!., those affecting life and death), and that trivial matters (e!.g!., clerical errors) assume enormous importance!. Everyone in the book, even Yossarian at the beginning, is behaving insanely in their clerical decisions!.

While the (official) enemy are the Germans, no German ever actually appears in the story as an enemy combatant!. As the narrative progresses, Yossarian comes to fear American bureaucrats more than he fears the Germans attempting to shoot down his bomber!. This ironic situation is epitomized in the single appearance of German personnel in the novel, who act as pilots employed by a private entrepreneur working within the U!.S!. military!. This predicament indicates a tension between traditional motives for violence and the modern economic machine, which seems to generate violence simply as another means to profit, quite independent of geographical or ideological constraints!.

Among the reasons Yossarian fears his commanders more than the enemy is that, as he flies more missions, the number of missions required before he can go home is continually increasing: he is always approaching the magic number, but he never reaches it!. He comes to despair of ever going home and is greatly relieved when he is sent to the hospital for a condition that is almost jaundice!. In Yossarian's words:

The enemy is anybody who's going to get you killed, no matter which side he's on, and that includes Colonel Cathcart!. And don't you forget that, because the longer you remember it, the longer you might live!. (Chapter 12)

I think it will help you!.
Bless you
Rajasir
http://rajasir!.comWww@QuestionHome@Com

I've always thought the moral was Heller's definition of the Catch!. They (govt, bureaucracy, etc) can do anything to you that you can't stop them from doing!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

to me, catch-22 is too complex to have a clear moral!.

the closest i can get is
"a bureaucracy can crush an individual with absurdity"

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war is hell and you are damned if you do and damned if you don'tWww@QuestionHome@Com

War is stupid and some corporations and people profit from it!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

You're damned if you do and damned if you don't!.Www@QuestionHome@Com