Its easy for us to take it personally, because we get so emotionally attached to our favourite wrestlers. Likewise, Im sure Punk took his job very personally at times, because it occupied so much of his life. He grew up wanting to be a pro wrestler, and even after realizing his dream, continued to dream bigger. Pro wrestling was obviously a big, emotional deal for CM Punk. And Im sure emotions played a huge role in his decision to leave, just as emotions played a huge role in fans reactions. But if we distill the event into its most simple form, it was a man walking off the job. A construction worker deciding that it wasnt work the risk. A marketing executive deciding that he was tired of the politics. A Hollywood actor deciding that the movie business, no matter how good everyone else thinks it is, has run its course for him. People will be disappointed. People will judge. But the construction worker doesnt care what the person who was going to live in the building he was working on thinks, nor does the marketing executive who gets criticized by the people who loved his commercials, nor the actor whose fans idolize him. And for someone who works in a creative field, and a high-risk one at that, when it starts to feel like a job, it might be time to go home. The business of his breaching a contract is strictly between CM Punk and WWE. As far as I can tell so far, neither party seems too bothered by it.
Follow me @kickyhick :) I hold a degree in English Rhetoric & Professional Writing from the University of Waterloo in Canada. I've done technical writing, executive presentations, and recruiting materials for BlackBerry, and I write for non-profit organizations. My favourite project so far has been combining my passion for writing with being a die-hard wrestling fan. It's a pleasure to write here for WhatCulture, and also for TJRwrestling.com.
