"A worker may be the hammer's master, but the hammer still prevails. A tool knows exactly how it is meant to be handled, while the user of the tool can only have an approximate idea"

This quote by Milan Kundera is a reminder that, although we might believe we are in control of our tools, they eventually have the power to shape our lives. The hammer is a metaphor for any tool or instrument that we utilize to achieve a task. The hammer's master is the employee, who has a general idea of how to use the tool, however the hammer itself knows exactly how it is indicated to be dealt with. This suggests that the tool has a specific level of autonomy which the worker is limited in their ability to manage it. The quote suggests that, although we might think we are in control of our tools, they eventually have the power to form our lives. We might think we are the masters of our tools, however in reality, the tools are the ones that prevail.