Poverty and Wealth: the Perception of Russian Internet Users

Abstract

The article presents the results of the content-analysis of messages in social media about peculiarities of Russian Internet users attitude of to the problems of poverty and wealth. Communication in Internet suggests a pragmatic orientation. Its not a place for discussions of general socio-economic and socio-political problems. Poverty and wealth are perceived through the prism of consumer behavior, in order to find opportunities to meet the needs of people. In Internet communications, there is an obvious negative assessment of poverty, while attitudes toward wealth and rich, towards social differentiation are represented by more neutral assessments. In the forefront of discussions, there is an opportunity to maintain an acceptable standard of living in difficult economic conditions. People share the recipes of survival in the face of a sharp drop in incomes.