You wouldn’t be normal if you were never afraid. Even the bravest men experience fear. One of the biggest jobs we all face in combat is to overcome fear.
Joseph HellerRead
They're trying to kill me," Yossarian told him calmly. No one's trying to kill you," Clevinger cried. Then why are they shooting at me?" Yossarian asked. They're shooting at everyone," Clevinger answered. "They're trying to kill everyone." And what difference does that make?
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote highlights the absurdity of war and the individual's perception of danger in a chaotic environment.
In this exchange between Yossarian and Clevinger from Joseph Heller's 'Catch-22', Yossarian points out the irrationality of claiming safety in a situation where bullets are flying indiscriminately. It emphasizes the pervasive nature of threats in war, suggesting that being targeted is less significant than the overall reality that everyone is at risk, thus reflecting on the absurdity and futility of trying to rationalize war.
Themes
WarAbsurdityDangerChaosFutility
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be used in a discussion about the impacts of war on mental health.
More from Joseph Heller
All quotes →History did not demand Yossarian's premature demise, justice could be satisfied without it, progress did not hinge upon it, victory did not depend on it. That men would die was a matter of necessity; WHICH men would die, though, was a matter of circumstance, and Yossarian was willing to be the victim of anything but circumstance. But that was war. Just about all he could find in its favor was that it paid well and liberated children from the pernicious influence of their parents.
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The enemy is anybody who's going to get you killed, no matter which side he's on.
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He had decided to live forever or die in the attempt.
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Hungry Joe collected lists of fatal diseases and arranged them in alphabetical order so that he could put his finger without delay on any one he wanted to worry about.
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The country was in peril; he was jeopardizing his traditional rights of freedom and independence by daring to exercise them.
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