Macon Money offers chances to branch out
Let me preface this by saying that I straight-up love making money with Macon Money (yes, I used that pun). It has allowed me to purchase a hammock and eat rather well. I know of dozens of individuals who have been able to eat some good food as of late.
However, most of these people are just Mercer students who interact with each other on a daily basis anyway.
The simple fact that this was idealized and based on the notion that the citizens of Macon would find new connections and everything notwithstanding, I am sure that a few Mercer students found new friends or acquaintances this way.
However, this grand plan to get Macon residents interacting and experiencing downtown and the College Hill Corridor has long been overshadowed by those of us here at Mercer.
Macon Money’s website describes itself as “[u]sing a new local currency with a fun twist, the game builds person to person connections throughout the community while supporting local businesses.”
Let’s face it — the $64,000 available has slowly been claimed more and more by poor college students who are looking to get good food as opposed to the same old stuff at the cafeteria. The opportunity cost for us Mercer students to simply go hang out on a Third Thursday for an hour in order to get ten, twenty, fifty or even a hundred dollars is very much in our benefit.
There might be some kind of effective limitation that allows us to get one bond per month, but we can cash in three a month? This logic is ridiculous. All we have to do is have friends, hang out and find a match.
Let me ask a general question to further this point: how many of you all (who have found a match with someone you didn’t know) have added your match on Facebook or Twitter, or exchanged numbers? I’d be willing to bet that you might acknowledge each other’s presence now when you see each other, but I would not be willing to bet that you guys are close friends now.
You can call me a pessimist, but in reality, how many of you have gone to use your Macon Money somewhere beyond Mercer Village? Even then, discounting the Rookery, are there any of you left who have used your Macon Money somewhere else?
I challenge each and every one of you who are left to use any Macon Money somewhere beyond Ingleside Village Pizza and Rodeo Beach. Yes, their pizza is fantastic. Yes, the hammocks are well worth it. Yes, the lack of having to drive there really makes this insanely cost-effective for us.
However, I really believe that you’ll thank me for it. Also, local businesses might as well. Maybe you’ll fall in love with Macon and want to do more in this city full of potential.
At any rate, Macon Money might then have succeeded with you. However, right now, Macon Money is just basically donating meals to Mercer students, which is neither the original purpose nor intent.
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I agree, completely. Macon Money started months ago, and I assume it’s popularity has only increased recently when they started basically giving away money to Mercer students when they realized that had a lot more money to give away. I’m an alumus who lives in Macon, and I got my first Macon Money bond by attending a Second Sunday and eventually matched with a stranger at another Macon community event. I miss the exclusiveness of it, or maybe I’m just jealous that I know students who have earned over $100 in Macon Money by doing nothing more than posting a status on Facebook. Honestly, I hate how they have literally just given away bonds to Mercer students–many have never attended College Hill events likes Second Sunday or movies at Tatnall, much less venture off of campus. I’m sure those same students also only spend their money at establishments at Mercer Village, how dare we explore new places further away from campus.
Couldn’t agree with you more. It’s unfortunate that Macon Money just dumped tons and tons of bonds at Mercer….completely unfair to those who actually tried to play the system the right way = getting involved in the community. Unfortunately, Mercer students tend to be (a) lazy, (b) unwilling to get involved in the local community.
It’s always been, ‘What can I get from the situation?’ Need students at an event, offer free t-shirts. It’s pathetic! Those that subscribe to this way of thinking shouldn’t consider themselves Mercerians!
Did you check to see how many bonds have been “dumped” at Mercer and how many have been given out at other events? Look at the numbers that the Macon Money representative posted: 41 events outside of Mercer and 6 events at Mercer. I think it is safe to say that Macon Money has done a very fair job at equally distributing the bonds throughout Macon. Also, Mercer and MU students play a vital role in downtown Macon and Mercer Village, both socially and economically, so why not give the Mercer students a chance at playing the game?
I am a Mercer student and my friends and I have spent a number of our bonds downtown at numerous venues, including Cherry Street Cycles. Also, I now keep in touch with my very first Macon Money match and she is helping me find employment over the summer while I live in Macon. My second match and I have hung out 3 times in the last month. Pretty successful “person to person connection” story in my opinion.
As far as your comment regarding students for tending to be “lazy” and “unwilling to get involved,”
well that could be true, however, I think the same statement is true for many colleges. I am heavily involved here at Mercer and I love attending Mercer athletic events, and personally, I don’t find joy in deciding who is and who is not worthy of being called a Mercerian. If a student is paying big bucks and studying hard here at Mercer, then in my eyes they are Mercerians too (even if they want a free t-shirt from time to time).
Thanks for your personal Macon Money story. As the creators of the game, we take very seriously the voices of community members downtown, off campus, and on campus who have contributed to creating Macon Money and bringing it to life.
We thought it might help to have some broader context for your experience within the larger ongoing game.
• Since the game kicked off in October 2010 there have been 41 Macon Money events off campus and/or in downtown Macon, and only 6 events at Mercer.
• To date, over 49% of the total player matches have been between players who live outside of 31207 (Mercer), and about 51% of player matches included at least one player living in 31207 (Mercer).
• Events like Wonderful Wednesday at Centenary Methodist Church and The 10 Experiment have brought diverse groups of people from all sectors of the community in contact with one another while playing Macon Money; business people, Mercer students, Downtowners, Midtowners, College Hill hipsters, New City congregation members, as well as dedicated Macon Money players.
“To date, over 49% of the total player matches have been between players who live outside of 31207 (Mercer), and about 51% of player matches included at least one player living in 31207 (Mercer).”
I would question how much money was claimed in the events at Mercer and Mercer Village as opposed to the events off campus/in downtown Macon. Also, in the above quote, I wonder what the percentage for total player matches was before St. Patrick’s Day (the third Thursday event that really saw Mercer students come to Macon Money in a rush.
if you don’t like the game, then don’t play it. Write a proposal for a grant and make your own game.. with your own rules. Also, at Mr. Lockwood.. Mercer is SO tired of hearing you on this website with your opinion. Please graduate and get a real job already. I even here your RUF people complaining about you posting and starting debates online… it’s quite annoying. Byah.