A bad workman blames his tools, apparently. It’s one of those aphorisms that may do more harm than good.
I get it, of course I do. A good workman (work-person?) doesn’t make excuses. They are adaptable. They ‘Get The Job Done’. Given that, who wouldn’t want to be a good workman? (Or, indeed, work-person.)
But there’s a problem: it’s not true. Tools are crucial — there is no shame in using the right ones, despite the saying. Tools make us better, faster, and more reliable. Accountants use double-entry bookkeeping. Drivers use modern brakes. Pilots use take-off checklists. Builders use scaffolding. Software developers use programming languages. Surgeons use scalpals, scissors and — please God! — soap.
Humans have always relied on tools — from spears to speech. That’s how we got to this point. Tools don’t just maketh the man — tools maketh man.
So, sure, a bad workman may blame his tools. A good workman, on the other hand, uses the right tools in the first place.