Experience - the wisdom that enables us to recognise in an undesirable old acquaintance the folly that we have already embraced.

Certainly! Here’s an explanation of the quote by Ambrose Bierce with bolded keywords:

This quote by Ambrose Bierce presents a witty and somewhat cynical view of experience. He describes it as a kind of wisdom that helps us recognize in an undesirable old acquaintance—a person we’ve met before—the same folly or mistake that we ourselves have already made or embraced. Essentially, experience reveals the familiar errors or foolishness that repeat themselves in life, often embodied by people we encounter repeatedly.

Bierce’s sharp humor underlines the idea that experience teaches us to identify patterns of folly, but often not before we ourselves fall into those same traps. This ironic perspective highlights human nature’s tendency to repeat mistakes even as we gain more knowledge and insight over time.

The origin of this quote comes from Bierce’s work as a satirist and writer, known for his cynical and incisive observations on human behavior and society. His style frequently combines humor with deep truths about the human condition, making this quote both amusing and thought-provoking.

In essence, the quote reminds us that experience brings awareness of recurring folly, often through recognizing it in others—sometimes too late to avoid it ourselves.

Would you like me to include more about Bierce’s satirical style or examples from his writings?