英語エッセイ：Crazy Journey

I’ve stopped watching TV aimlessly, but there are certain TV shows I still love watching.

One of them is called “Crazy Journey”.

This show features an unusual person who does crazy things for their profession, such as a journalist who only goes to dangerous places, a BASE jumper who jumps from virtually anywhere using a parachute, and a cave explorer who explores caves that nobody has ever been in before.

What I really like about this program is that I can live vicariously through these interesting people just by watching it. Most of the time, it looks risky and dangerous and is something that I never plan to experience. Thanks to advancements in technology, videos are very sharp and dynamic, so I often find myself screaming or feeling puzzled while watching them.

Another thing is that it broadens my horizons. Last week, they were showing a man called Keroppi Maeda, who is a journalist specializing in body modification. This was the second time he was on this show. When I heard about body modification last time, I was shocked! Especially when I learned about a big event for “body suspension” held in Norway. In this event, people make holes in their body and hang from them using metal hooks. It was hard to watch, but these crazy Norwegians seemed to be happy and enjoying their lives.

“Crazy Journey” sometimes causes controversy, but I find it fascinating and intriguing to try to comprehend the values of these eccentric people. It pushes me to rethink social norms and appreciate that “normal” can mean something completely different depending on the person. I hope this TV program continues to deliver high-quality and enlightening entertainment for years to come.

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phrases I learned

• vicariously(副詞)〔他人の体験を〕代理的に、自分の体験としてとらえて
  experienced through the activities of other people rather than by doing something yourself
  例文）
  Some parents seem to live vicariously through their children.
  People like to vicariously experience that kind of danger.
  I’ve been traveling vicariously through her fabulous trip to Germany and China.
  

• virtually(副詞) 実質的には、事実上、実際上、～と言ってもいいくらいで、～も同然で ★almostよりも意味が強い
  例文）
  Their twins are virtually identical.
  That wine stain on my shirt has virtually disappeared.
  

• It pushes me to rethink
  push 人 to 〜
  （人）に～するようにプッシュする［圧力をかける・せき立てる・強要する］、（人）に強いて～させる
  例文）
  **push someone to behave a certain way
  **push someone to death