STANDARD OF LIVING AS AN INDICATOR OF «MOVEMENT» TOWARDS HAPPINESS

The article analyzes the relationship between the standard of living and subjective assessment of happiness in the context of a new global challenge and structural transformations affecting the daily life of individuals/social groups. The main goal of the study was to study the significance of the standard of living as an indicator of happiness and «movement» towards it. The theoretical and methodological framework of the study was the emotional-value approach to identifying the essential and semantic characteristics of the subjective understanding of happiness and perception of the standard of living. Based on the materials of an empirical sociological study (n=1170), the article argues that the standard of living is not included in the semantic field of interpretive models of happiness, giving way to family and health, as well as self-realization. The survey materials demonstrate a wide repertoire of situations in the life perspective of the population, including an increase in living standards, which become landscape points in the «movement» towards happiness. A weak financial situation serves to develop such a «movement» for every fourth respondent; for 7%, such a factor is the instability of the economic situation in the country. At the same time, the growth of personal financial status and favorable economic conditions are assessed by respondents as a factor in the growth of a positive emotional state. The results of the survey made it possible to record the following discrepancy in the responses of respondents and statistical analysis. The respondents do not recognize a linear connection between the standard of living and happiness, but a correlation is found between self-assessment of the amount of income and satisfaction with it with indicators of happiness. The cluster analysis made it possible to identify five groups of respondents according to their standard of living: depressed, optimistic, average, prosperous and crisis. The study revealed that self-assessment of income level is less correlated with the implementation of the “deferred” happiness model than satisfaction with financial situation. At the same time, both low income and dissatisfaction with the standard of living form a “movement” towards a happy life in the future. Based on the research materials, the article determines that the standard of living can act as a source of happiness, a barrier to its achievement, an incentive to intensify the «movement» towards happiness and a tool for realizing life prospects.