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Some men are born mediocre, some men achieve mediocrity, and some men have mediocrity thrust upon them.

—Joseph Heller

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About Joseph Heller

Portrait of Joseph Heller

Joseph Heller (May 1, 1923 – December 12, 1999) was an American author of novels, short stories, plays, and screenplays. His best-known work is the 1961 novel Catch-22, a satire on war and bureaucracy, whose title has become a synonym for an absurd or contradictory choice. He was nominated in...

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You're immature. You've been unable to adjust to the idea of war."
    "Yes, sir."
    "You have a morbid aversion to dying. You probably resent the fact that you're at war and might get your head blown off any second."
    "I more than resent it, sir. I'm absolutely incensed."
    ". . . Misery depresses you. Ignorance depresses you. Persecution depresses you. Violence depresses you. . . . You know, it wouldn't surprise me if you're a manic depressive!

—Joseph Heller

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war ignorance maturity death misery violence surprise
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There was only one catch and that was Catch-22, which specified that a concern for one's own safety in the face of dangers that were real and immediate was the process of a rational mind. 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 [combat] 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.

—Joseph Heller

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