The quote from Joseph Heller's "Catch-22" highlights the tension between individual rights and the absurdities of authority. It suggests that people can freely engage in actions that are legally permissible, which includes the ability to deceive without facing legal consequences. This reflects a critique of bureaucratic systems where rules may not align with ethical or moral standards.
The character's frustration with Scheisskopf underscores the idea that rigid adherence to authority can lead to a lack of understanding of human nature. It emphasizes that just because something isn’t illegal does not make it right or just, exposing the flaws in rigid systems that fail to recognize the complexity of human behavior.