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.

Comments on this opinion can be sent to garret.mcdowell@gmail.com