I recall that many years ago I bought an infant car seat. It came with an multi-lingual instruction sheet that unfolded to roughly the size of a large wall map. There were instructions in English, French, Spanish, German, Dutch, Portuguese, Russian, Arabic and others I couldn't identify but no Esperanto. I thought at the time, "If they're going to print in so many languages anyway, why not include Esperanto?" I wish they would. It would raise awareness of the language and there are many people in every nation on earth who understand it

Mustelvulpo:I recall that many years ago I bought an infant car seat. It came with an multi-lingual instruction sheet that unfolded to roughly the size of a large wall map. There were instructions in English, French, Spanish, German, Dutch, Portuguese, Russian, Arabic and others I couldn't identify but no Esperanto. I thought at the time, "If they're going to print in so many languages anyway, why not include Esperanto?" I wish they would. It would raise awareness of the language and there are many people in every nation on earth who understand it

Wouldn't the same happen as you just looking at the (e.g.) Russian, Arabic, Portuguese and saying: 'don't know them' and not even thinking about the ones you couldn't identify? I can't fathom how putting Esperanto there would somehow make people want to learn it.
Seeing Czech on an instruction manual doesn't motivate me to learn it, even if it's the only language on the manual. If there's no English, however, but I see German or Dutch, I go for it; I'll try French too, but honestly, who even looks at the languages they don't know?

The alternative proposed here of having Esperanto (or only Esperanto), though it theoretically makes sense, would be about as effective as writing it in old Coptic for most people.

The idea that just placing Esperanto in front of people somehow makes them want to learn it is a curious idea. Similar to the misguided idea - practised at my school by the tyrannical sports master - that assumes throwing people into deep water makes them learn to swim.

I just can't get over the fact that a guy who assumes the worst in other people (or, at least, person) and justifies it on the grounds of philosophical logic is accusing someone else of undermining the Esperanto community.

On a side note, I have developed a product and will definitely be providing instructions in e-o. But that's because I care about the language. 99% of manufacturers don't.

esposch:I just can't get over the fact that a guy who assumes the worst in other people (or, at least, person) and justifies it on the grounds of philosophical logic is accusing someone else of undermining the Esperanto community.

On a side note, I have developed a product and will definitely be providing instructions in e-o. But that's because I care about the language. 99% of manufacturers don't.

Baby Jane is a troll? Who would have thought?

esposch:I just can't get over the fact that a guy who assumes the worst in other people (or, at least, person) and justifies it on the grounds of philosophical logic is accusing someone else of undermining the Esperanto community.

On a side note, I have developed a product and will definitely be providing instructions in e-o. But that's because I care about the language. 99% of manufacturers don't.

It's difficult to know whom you are referring to.

The tragedy of the commons doesn't apply to Esperanto. It applies to a situation where a resource is free or under-priced and due to this becomes over-exploited. A large number of languages on instruction manuals doesn't push Esperanto out nor does it relate to the tragedy of the commons.

More relevant ideas would be things like path dependence, network effects and the sunk cost fallacy.