IN a video that went viral on social media, a Saudi boy was seen standing inside a bakery kneading and baking bread – after which he was on the receiving end of online trolls who said the job was "beneath him." Nasser Al-Mezaal responded by saying that working any job was not shameful while being dependent on others while staying at home was. Mezaal, who is currently studying at a technology institute in Riyadh, says that he is happy with the job that gives him a steady income to provide for his needs and university studies. Over the past week, online users on social media argued that as a Saudi national, working as a baker was beneath the nationality, but others were quick to defend Mezaal and praise him for his work ethic. "There are friends who supported what I did and encouraged me, but on the other hand, a number of them asked me to quit working on the grounds that I am a Saudi and I am supposed not to do such acts. However, I reject this view definitively because earning a livelihood is not subjected to specific jobs. In the end, making a living is not shameful but full of pride," he told Al-Arabiya. Mezaal balances his work with his studies and says he always finds time to make up for the classes he had missed while on the job. After being asked whether he would continue working as a baker after he graduates, he said: "We'll cross that bridge when we get to it." — Al-Arabiya English
