History Main / YouAreNotReady

** In ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack'', Yoda informs Luke of this when he goes to face Vader on Cloud City.

* Cecil gets this in ''VideoGame/DissidiaFinalFantasyOperaOmnia'' while suffering from LaserGuidedAmnesia and still fighting as a Dark Knight. When he asks Kain (who remembers everything) about the "future", Kain replies that the information would be meaningless and just being told about it wouldn't restore the light he gained as a Paladin.

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* Cobalion, Terrakion, and Virizion say this to Keldeo in ''Anime/PokemonKyuremVSTheSwordOfJustice'' about it battling Kyurem. It tried anyway and [[CurbStompBattle got pummeled]], then ran away when [[HumanPopsicle its mentors were frozen]].

* ''Manga/PingPong'': A variation is uttered by Kong during his first match with Peco (albeit internally):
-->'''Kong:''' ''Nothing'' about you is good enough!
* In ''Manga/OnePiece'', when [[{{Determinator}} Luffy]] tries to go up against all three [[AuthorityEqualsAsskicking admirals]] at Marineford, he gets hit with this. ''Hard.''

** Luffy actually seems to listen to this and realized his crew is not strong enough to survive New World. So via a secret message orders them to train for the next two years.
* ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamNarrative'': The Earth Federation says this to ''itself'' after the events of ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamUnicorn'': psycoframes and Newtype powers are far too powerful and unpredictable to be controlled in any meaningful way. As a result, the Federation and Mineva's faction of Zeon begin actively suppressing any research into psycoframes, and destroy the few remaining examples of the technology that exist around the Earth Sphere.

* Upheld in ''ComicBook/{{Grimjack}}'' where some space aliens who were trying to dissect and understand a time travel watch accidentally obliterated one-quarter of a galaxy in the process.

* ''Ghosts of the Past'', sequel to ''Fanfic/ChildOfTheStorm'', has [[spoiler: Bucky Barnes]] very bluntly deliver a speech along these lines to Ron (and to Hermione) after the two of them insist on coming with Harry to deal with vampires of [[spoiler: the Grey Court]]. It's not so much a matter of raw power - they're both powerful enough - but the fact that they're not trained, and they don't have the necessary combat experience in supernatural combat ops (while Harry: (a) has been trained, (b) has got the experience, and (c) has far more raw power to bring to bear). At best, they'd be TheLoad, at worst, they'd be a corpse in short order - vampires are incredibly fast, strong, and vicious, and smart enough to recognise the threat of a wand. Hermione reluctantly accepts the explanation and asks if there's any other way they can help. Ron needs a little more convincing.

* ''Fanfic/HarryPotterAndTheMethodsOfRationality'': Harry says this word for word to Draco in order to keep Draco from learning too much science before he's ready for it--specifically the part about disproving Draco's racism, which he's built his entire personality around. Draco actually accepts this explanation without complaint; moving too fast in magic can be ''extremely'' dangerous, so Draco's father taught him to take warnings like that seriously. Draco actually ends up mad at Harry when Harry thinks Draco is ready for something but actually isn't. [[spoiler:The two of them gathered statistical evidence showing that magic is almost certainly inherited through genetics, and thus the decline of magic is not due to intermixing with muggles, but simply because knowledge of spells is being gradually lost. This pulls the rug out from under Draco's whole worldview.]]

* At the end of ''Film/{{Gremlins}}'', Mr. Wing shows up to claim Gizmo and berates the Peltzers for not following the rules of proper Mogwai care and states "You are not ready!" When he sees how much Gizmo has come to care for Billy, Mr. Wing decided Billy may be ready "one day".

* ''Film/MortalKombatTheMovie'' had Raiden tell Liu Kang he wasn't ready to face Shang Tsung. Which is quite weird, because he tells him he is ready, near the end, although we don't see anything changing in Liu Kang's character nor does he learn any new skills. It's implied that Liu not being ready was less about skills and more about being hung up on his brother's death.
* In ''Film/MysteryMen'' the Sphinx tells the others they are not ready to confront the BigBad because they need training (and {{Ice Cream Koan}}s.)
* In ''Film/MenInBlack'', Jay (still known as James Edwards at the moment) tells Kay that he chose him so he needs to respect the skills and he doesn't want to be called any nicknames like "son" or "kid" or "sport."
-->'''Kay''': Cool, whatever you say, slick, but I need to tell you something about all your skills. As of right now, they mean precisely... (''they arrive at a massive company floor teeming with aliens'') dick.

* In Creator/IainBanks' novella ''The State of the Art'', a [[Literature/TheCulture Culture]] Contact ship spends several months snooping about on Earth in 1977, before deciding not to contact us. Not so much because the Culture has any [[AlienNonInterferenceClause qualms about influencing]] the Earth -- it is just that the [[DeusEstMachina Minds]] have decided to use Earth as a control group. [[note]]In ''Inversions'' the Culture subtly guides a ''medieval'' civilization onto a more enlightened path.[[/note]] A passing reference in the appendix to ''Literature/ConsiderPhlebas'' does suggest that Earth has been Contacted by 2110 AD, at least. Humorously in ''Literature/{{Excession}}'', [[spoiler:when the Culture inadvertently becomes the victim of the trope, it is played completely straight]].

* In Creator/VernorVinge's novel ''Literature/ADeepnessInTheSky'', it's the humans hiding from the aliens while they wait for them to become Ready, and ''they'' are the ones who require technical assistance from the more primitive aliens.
* In ''[[Literature/TheBelgariad The Mallorean]]'', Belgarath tells Garion he needs 2,000 years of study before touching weather again. [[DisasterDominoes considering what Garion triggered,]] Belgarath is entirely right to demand this.

* In ''Series/{{Farscape}}'', John is given information about wormholes. The catch? It's behind a mental lock, and the {{Sufficiently Advanced Alien}}s who gave it to him state that if he isn't capable of unlocking the information on his own, he's not smart enough to use it wisely.

** In the first-season episode "Deathwalker". A notorious war criminal has created a serum that gives the user immortality. Despite the heinousness of her crimes, Earth's government pardons her in return for turning over the formula. As she leaves the station, she reveals to the characters that had reacted to her in disgust the evil twist involved: every dose of the formula required [[PoweredByAForsakenChild killing another person of the same species]]. She intended to give the formula to everyone, and watch as they all fell into self-destructive chaos as a result to prove her twisted reasoning right. However, as she's leaving, a Vorlon ship appears through the jump gate and destroys the ship with her on it. When questioned about it, Ambassador Kosh says simply, "You are not ready for immortality."

* The Tollan from ''Series/StargateSG1'' refused to share their technology with Earth because of a previous experience with a less advanced race that destroyed itself and the original Tollan homeworld. Flipped around a few seasons later, when this became the refrain of SG-1 when dealing with a less advanced society (although where the Tollan wouldn't give Earth ''any'' advanced technology, the [=SGC=] is willing to share certain non-military advances in medicine and agriculture with more primitive races).
** The Asgard have this attitude toward Earth, but notably they subvert the trope and help humanity ''get'' ready, slowly introducing their technology with careful tutelage so humans can learn to use it wisely after humanity had demonstrated its intellectual and moral potential. In the final episode, they [[spoiler:pass on the sum total of their collected knowledge before committing collective suicide]].
* Used word for word in ''Series/{{Smallville}}'' by [[spoiler:Lex Luthor in Season 8]].
* In the first episode of ''Series/MahouSentaiMagiranger'', youngest sibling Kai is denied the chance to become a Magiranger by his mother because he's too reckless. After being scared witless by [[BlackKnight Wolzard]] and working up the courage to stand up to him to defend his older siblings anyway, he is then deemed worthy, becoming [=MagiRed=].
* Played with a bit in ''Series/HouseOfAnubis'' in season 1, as it is not the characters themselves who were not ready to build the cup, the cup could only be built and used during a certain time on a certain date, and by a [[TheChosenOne a certain person.]]
* Duncan's mentor tells him this in ''{{Series/Highlander}}'' in the flashback in 'Finale'. Duncan wants to fight Xavier St.Cloud, but Hamza tells him to flee into the desert because he isn't experienced enough to fight Xavier yet.

* The title phrase was actually used as a slogan in ads for the original UsefulNotes/PlayStation - though in printed ads, it was written in the more cryptic form "U R NOT [[color:red: E]]", with the E being in red.
* Slight variation: In the opening cinematic for the ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' expansion The Burning Crusade the main villain (sort of) Illidan can be heard saying "You are not prepared!" at the beginning and end of the cinematic and during his pre-battle monologue (and if you are indeed not prepared, he will say it again and again...) Enough that eventually it became his [[MemeticMutation memetic]] CatchPhrase.
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUfOIvlC6Eo NOW.]] [[PunctuatedForEmphasis YOU. ARE. PREPARED!]]

* After the timeline in ''VideoGame/TheJourneymanProject'' has been altered, the entirety of FirstContact with the Cyrollans is revealed to have consisted of these four words before their ship departs.

** The Catalyst - the controlling intelligence directing the Reapers to harvest all advanced life every fifty thousand years could have executed a synthesis of organic and synthetic life into a new framework of life. It didn’t do this because it claimed that organic life forms were “not ready”. However, when the player character - a human resurrected from brain death by cybernetic implants - finds it and talks to it, the Catalyst says “you are ready. And you may choose synthesis.”
* Rather early on in ''VideoGame/PhantasyStarIV'', Rune tells Chaz that at this "[[LeaningOnTheFourthWall stage of the game]]" he's not ready to take on the BigBad. Chaz, who was as yet unaware that he's being swept up into things bigger than he can grasp, is nonplussed by the statement.

* Said several times to the protagonist by the [[OurAngelsAreDifferent Solar]] in ''VideoGame/BaldursGateIIThroneOfBhaal'', in reference to their powers as the spawn of a dead god. Her entire purpose is to fix this little problem, mostly by giving lots and lots of {{Exposition}}.
* In the ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}}'' series the Brotherhood of Steel was started with the idea of preserving pre-War tech as a means of salvation for humanity despite the Brotherhood's secrecy and aloofness. Overtime this was turned into a ideology that prevents outsiders from joining the Brotherhood and finding, let alone ''using'', any pre-War tech left uncovered. This is most seen in the East Coast Brotherhood chapter as the Outcasts split from the main group when Elder Owen Lyons wanted to aid the Capital Wasteland and only returned when Elder Arthur Maxson, the descendant of founder and High Elder Roger Maxson, made changes and broker a peace agreement allowing the Brotherhood to fight at full strength again as well as improve on old tech. Maxson still believes that tech should still be hoarded to prevent abuses but is OK about some low tech being used.
* Kratos says this to his son Atreus in ''VideoGame/GodOfWarPS4'', after the boy bungles a hunt and displays an uncontrollable berserker rage against a dead troll.
* In ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublicIITheSithLords'' Visas Marr refuses to share her master Darth Nihilus's location with the Exile for this reason. Fearing they are not strong enough and would die should she allow them to face him prematurely.
* Cecil gets this in ''VideoGame/DissidiaFinalFantasyOperaOmnia'' while suffering from LaserGuidedAmnesia and still fighting as a Dark Knight. When he asks Kain (who remembers everything) about the "future", Kain replies that the information would be meaningless and just being told about it wouldn't restore the light he gained as a Paladin.
* In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsOfColdSteel III'', after Rean and his new Class VII only barely manage to scrape by against the [[spoiler:Steel Maiden Arianrhod, her Stahlritter, and their new Aion, the Azure Siegfried (who carries the appearance and voice of supposedly dead classmate/enemy Crow Armbrust) shows up and warns them that henceforth they're going to facing off against powerful enemies, legends, and those thought to be dead, and that as they are they don't stand a chance]].
* In "Episode 0: Allocation" of ''VideoGame/Code7'', [[AIIsACrapshoot S.O.L.I.]] claims he's not your enemy, but doesn't really explain why. Instead, he only says that he cannot tell you the truth, for it might shatter this world. Fancy sounding bullshit, right? [[spoiler:Or at least so it seems, until the end of "Episode 3: Backdoor".]]

In ''Webcomic/SabrinaOnline'', Tabitha ([[FromTheMouthsOfBabes who is a few years shy of puberty at this point]]) asks porn star Zig Zag what sex is like--a question Zig Zag is ''not'' expecting, if the SpitTake is any clue. Zig Zag then asks Tabitha what she's seen online, and Tabitha admits she's seen almost nothing, as porn just weirds her out and she stops the videos as the actors begin to undress. Zig Zag [[JustifiedTrope quite reasonably]] concludes Tabitha isn't mature enough to have her questions answered.

* In Episode XXXII of ''WesternAnimation/SamuraiJack'', after Jack fails to defeat The Guardian and gain access to the time portal, we see in a FlashForward that Jack will eventually use the portal when he's ready. [[spoiler:[[BigBad Aku]] decided [[ScrewDestiny he didn't like that idea]], [[ThreadOfProphecySevered blew up the portal and (presumably) killed the Guardian too]] over the 50-year {{Timeskip}}.]]
-->'''The Guardian:''' You can't use it yet, Samurai Jack. Not yet. Not yet.
* In ''WesternAnimation/Ben10UltimateAlien'', Azmuth considers Ben to be this regarding the new Omnitrix he is building (He changes his mind by the end of the series, though).
* In ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'', OldMaster Jeong Jeong says this to Aang about his wanting to learn firebending. Traditionally, the Avatar learns the elements in the order of the Avatar cycle (Air-Water-Earth-Fire), so Aang wouldn't be ready to learn firebending until he mastered water and earth. Though Jeong Jeong relents, it's proven that Aang ''wasn't'' ready, as his impetuousness results in Katara getting burned.
* In the SequelSeries ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'', the Order of the White Lotus thinks of this for Korra, believing she wasn't ready to learn Airbending because of her lack of spirituality. But thanks to Katara approving of Korra learning it, they instantly agree with her.\\
\\
Experience prove both Katara and the White Lotus have a point. Korra ''wasn't'' ready to learn airbending yet. But by leaving her sheltered home and going to Republic City she matures enough to learn it.

* The nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty was put in place with this exact justification - that nations which didn't already have nuclear weapons for decades at this point in time, won't have the cultural maturity and restraint to be able to use them wisely. Owing to the fact that the nations allowed to be exempt from this treaty were primarily European or European derived nations [[MyFriendsAndZoidberg and China]], [[Administrivia/RuleOfCautiousEditingJudgement this treaty is open to controversy.]]

* In the ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}}'' series the Brotherhood of Steel was started with the idea of preserving pre-War tech as a means of salvation for humanity despite the Brotherhood's secrecy and aloofness. Overtime this was turned into a ideology that prevents outsiders from joining the Brotherhood and finding, let alone ''using'', any pre-War tech left uncovered. This is most seen in the East Coast Brotherhood chapter as the Outcasts split from the main group when Elder Owen Lyons wanted to aid the Capital Wasteland and only returned when Elder Arthur Maxson, the decedent of founder and High Elder Roger Maxson, made changes and broker a peace agreement allowing the Brotherhood to fight at full strength again as well as improve on old tech. Maxson still believes that tech should still be hoarded to prevent abuses but is OK about some low tech being used.

* ''VideoGame/MassEffect1'': Humanity is not ready for a human Spectre, or a seat on the Citadel Council. [[spoiler: By the end of the game, they have both.]]

* In Episode XXXII of ''WesternAnimation/SamuraiJack'', after Jack fails to defeat The Guardian and gain access to the time portal, we see in a FlashForward that Jack will eventually use the portal when he's ready. [[spoiler:[[BigBad Aku]] decided [[ScrewDestiny he didn't like that idea]], blew up the portal and (presumably) killed the Guardian too over the 50-year {{Timeskip}}.]]

[[folder: Western Animation ]]

[[folder: Real Life]]

** The Catalyst - the controlling intelligence directing a horde of MechaChtulhu to harvest all advanced life every fifty thousand years could have executed a synthesis of organic and synthetic life into a new framework of life. It didn’t do this because it claimed that organic life forms were “not ready”. However, when the player character - a human resurrected from brain death by cybernetic implants - finds it and talks to it, the Catalyst says “you are ready. And you may choose synthesis.”

** Optimus himself has admitted the above as when one Autobot says that we (Humans) are a violent race, Optimus points out the fact that they're NotSoDifferent.

* ''Fanfic/HarryPotterAndTheMethodsOfRationality'': Harry says this word for word to Draco in order to keep Draco from learning too much science before he's ready for it--specifically the part about disproving Draco's racism, which he's built his entire personality around. Draco actually accepts this explanation without complaint; moving too fast in magic can be ''extremely'' dangerous, so Draco's father taught him to take warnings like that seriously. Draco actually ends up mad at Harry when Harry thinks Draco is ready for something but actually isn't.

** Played even more straight with Anakin's accession to Jedi Master in ''Film/RevengeOfTheSith''. Mace Windu knows a thing or two about ready, and Anakin is not ready.

* Upheld in ''Grimjack'' where some space aliens who were trying to dissect and understand a time travel watch accidentally obliterated one-quarter of a galaxy in the process.

** A DoubleSubversion occurs when Kimball Kinnison takes his advanced training. He is welcomed when he arrives at Arisia because he ''is'' ready. Then at the end of his training, when he protests that there is more to learn, Mentor complements him on his insight but tells him that he is ''not'' ready for any further training.

Commonly uttered phrase by powerful -- often SufficientlyAdvanced -- beings when lesser lifeforms (like our heroes) ask for assistance or [[LowCultureHighTech technical support]]. Oftentimes, the heroes get a hold of the information or gear for themselves, and the point is proven or refuted. (If the hero keeps insisting for an answer, they may get an ArmorPiercingResponse, which may prove that they're indeed not ready.)

* This was Wrestling/PaulHeyman's response to an invitation to work for Wrestling/{{TNA}}. He was right, because as long as money mark Dixie Carter was running things, the promotion was gonna continue bringing in the wrong people -- and at the rate things are going, it's highly doubtful TNA will ''ever'' be ready, let alone if it gets the ''chance'' to be ready at all.

* ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}'' sees this as a very common sentiment from the Eldar to humanity. Humanity's usual response is a bolt shell to the face.
** As an additional perk, many of the pieces of Eldar tech would be ''rejected'', because the Imperium includes a ''very'' strong belief in [[NewTechnologyIsEvil Any Technology We Don't Have Is Evil, Unless It Comes Out Of An STC]].

* Said several times to the protagonist by the [[OurAngelsAreDifferent Solar]] in ''VideoGame/ThroneOfBhaal'', in reference to their powers as the spawn of a dead god. Her entire purpose is to fix this little problem, mostly by giving lots and lots of {{Exposition}}.
* * In the ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}}'' series the Brotherhood of Steel was started with the idea of preserving pre-War tech as a means of salvation for humanity despite the Brotherhood's secrecy and aloofness. Overtime this was turned into a ideology that prevents outsiders from joining the Brotherhood and finding, let alone ''using'', any pre-War tech left uncovered. This is most seen in the East Coast Brotherhood chapter as the Outcasts split from the main group when Elder Owen Lyons wanted to aid the Capital Wasteland and only returned when Elder Arthur Maxson, the decedent of founder and High Elder Roger Maxson, made changes and broker a peace agreement allowing the Brotherhood to fight at full strength again as well as improve on old tech. Maxson still believes that tech should still be hoarded to prevent abuses but is OK about some low tech being used.
* Kratos says this to his son Atreus in ''VideoGame/GodOfWarPS4'', after the boy bungles a hunt and display an uncontrollable berserker rage against a dead troll.

* In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsOfColdSteel III'', after Rean and his new Class VII only barely manage to scrape by against the [[spoiler:Steel Maiden Arianrhod, her Stahlritter, and their new Aion, the Azure Siegfried (who carries the appearance and voice of supposedly dead classmate/enemy Crow Armbrust) shows up and warns them that henceforth they're going to facing off against powerful enemies, legends, and those thought to be dead, and that as they are they don't stand a chance.]]

* In ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'', OldMaster Jeong Jeong says this to Aang about his wanting to learn firebending. Traditionally, the Avatar learns the elements in the order of the Avatar cycle (Air-Water-Earth-Fire), so Aang wouldn't be ready to learn firebending until he mastered water and earth. Though Jeong Jeong relents, it's proven that Aang ''wasn't'' ready, as his impetiousness results in Katara getting burned.

* In ''Film/MenInBlack'', Jay (still known as James Edwards at the moment) that he chose him so he needs to respect the skills and he doesn't want to be called any nicknames like "son" or "kid" or "sport."

In ''Webcomic/SabrinaOnline'', Tabitha asks porn star Zig Zag what sex is like--a question Zig Zag is ''not'' expecting, if the SpitTake is any clue. Zig Zag then asks Tabitha what she's seen online, and concludes Tabitha isn't mature enough to have her questions answered--[[JustifiedTrope completely reasonable]] since [[FromTheMouthsOfBabes Tabitha's a few years shy of puberty]] at this point and porn just weirds her out.

In ''Webcomic/SabrinaOnline'', Tabitha asks porn star [=ZigZag=] what sex is like--a question [=ZigZag=] is ''not'' expecting, if the SpitTake is any clue. [=ZigZag=] then asks Tabitha what she's seen online, and concludes Tabitha isn't mature enough to have her questions answered--[[JustifiedTrope completely reasonable]] since seeing people get naked weirds Tabitha out and, well, Tabitha's a little girl at this point.

Compare to FigureItOutYourself, TheWorldIsNotReady. [[JustForPun Not to be said to]] [[Memes/{{Nintendo}} Nintendo]].

* ''VideoGame/KingdomHearts'': Creepy guy in brown cloak: "One who knows nothing, can understand nothing..." (referring to Sora)
** Subverted, as creepy guy is later shown to be greatly mistaken about his beliefs and knowledge. The sequel features another arrogant old man with a thing for vague statements about your ignorance, he turns out to be wrong about many things too. The Kingdom Hearts world isn't a good place to be an enigmatic mentor.

** Many instances in ''Star Trek'' media where the Prime Directive is invoked revolve around this trope; Starfleet crews are on occasion conflicted between moral pressure to help those in need and complying with the Federation's rules about "interfering" with less-advanced cultures.

* The Tollan from ''Series/StargateSG1'' refused to share their technology with Earth because of a previous experience with a less advanced race that destroyed itself and the original Tollan homeworld. Flipped around a few seasons later, when this became the refrain of SG-1 when dealing with a less advanced society.
** The Asgard have this attitude toward Earth, but notably they subvert the trope and help humanity ''get'' ready, slowly introducing their technology with careful tutelage so humans can learn to use it wisely. In the final episode, they [[spoiler:pass on the sum total of their collected knowledge before committing collective suicide]].

* Upheld with the Watchers of the [[Franchise/MarvelUniverse Marvel Universe]] who originally shared their scientific knowledge with a primitive alien race. The alien race advanced to interstellar levels only to be obliterated after challenging a much more advanced civilization race to war. These events traumatized the Watchers into being non-interventionists.
* Upheld in Grimjack where some space aliens who were trying to dissect and understand a time travel watch accidentally obliterated one-quarter of a galaxy in the process.

* Uttered by the OldMaster towards his pupil in almost ''every martial arts film ever''.
** Usually in reference to some DangerousForbiddenTechnique.

* ''Film/MortalKombat'' had Raiden tell Liu Kang he wasn't ready to face Shang Tsung. Which is quite weird, because he tells him he is ready, near the end, although we don't see anything changing in Liu Kang's character nor does he learn any new skills.
** It's implied that Liu not being ready was less about skills and more about being hung up on his brother's death.

* This trope may have originated (in ScienceFiction, at least) with Creator/EEDocSmith's ''Literature/{{Lensman}}'' series back in the late 1930s. In that series, the rise of humanity and most other intelligent life in the Milky Way galaxy is part of a master plan by the [[SufficientlyAdvancedAlien Arisians]], who are about one step short of EnergyBeings. The goal of the plan is the eventual overthrow of the (quite nasty) Eddorians. However, at almost every step in the process the Arisians keep the ultimate goal a secret from humanity and its allies, and avoid making their own immense power obvious to them, for fear of "creating an inferiority complex" among the species they have raised to deal with the problem. In other words, YouAreNotReady.

* In Creator/IainBanks' novella ''The State of the Art'', a [[Literature/TheCulture Culture]] Contact ship spends several months snooping about on Earth in 1977, before deciding not to contact us. Not so much because the Culture has any [[AlienNonInterferenceClause qualms about influencing]] the Earth -- it is just that the [[DeusEstMachina Minds]] have decided to use Earth as a control group. [[note]]In ''Inversions'' the Culture subtly guides a ''medieval'' civilization onto a more enlightened path.[[/note]] A passing reference in the appendix to ''Literature/ConsiderPhlebas'' does suggest that Earth has been Contacted by 2110 AD, at least. Humorously in ''Literature/{{Excession}}'', [[spoiler:when the Culture inadvertently becomes the victim of the trope, it is played completely straight.]]

* In [[Literature/TheBelgariad The Mallorean]], Belgarath tells Garion he needs 2,000 years of study before touching weather again. [[DisasterDominoes considering what Garion triggered,]] Belgarath is entirely right to demand this.

* In ''Series/{{Farscape}}'', John is given information about wormholes. The catch? It's behind a mental lock, and the SufficientlyAdvancedAliens who gave it to him state that if he isn't capable of unlocking the information on his own, he's not smart enough to use it wisely.

* Used word for word in ''Series/{{Smallville}}'' by [[spoiler:Lex Luthor in Season 8]]

* This was Wrestling/PaulHeyman's response to an invitation to work for Wrestling/{{TNA}}. He was right, because as long money mark Dixie Carter was running things, the promotion was gonna continue bringing in the wrong people -- and at the rate things are going, it's highly doubtful TNA will ''ever'' be ready, let alone if it gets the ''chance'' to be ready at all.

* Word for word one of Kung Lao's lines in VideoGame/MortalKombatX, in a match up against Kung Jin.
--->'''Kung Lao''': You provoke me?
--->'''Kung Jin''': Just want to test myself against you.
--->'''Kung Lao''': You are not ready.

* Kratos says this to his son Atreus in VideoGame/GodOfWarPS4, after the boy bungles a hunt and display an uncontrollable berserker rage against a dead troll.

* In Episode XXXII of ''WesternAnimation/SamuraiJack'', after Jack fails to defeat The Guardian and gain access to the time portal, we see in a FlashForward that Jack will eventually use the portal when he's ready. [[spoiler:[[BigBad Aku]] decided [[ScrewDestiny he didn't like that idea]], blew up the portal and (presumably) killed the Guardian too over the 50-year {{Timeskip}}]].

* The nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty was put in place with this exact justification - that nations which didn't already have nuclear weapons for decades at this point in time, won't have the cultural maturity and restraint to be able to use them wisely. Owing to the fact that the nations allowed to be exempt from this treaty were primarily European or European derived nations [[AndZoidberg and China]], [[Administrivia/RuleOfCautiousEditingJudgement this treaty is open to controversy.]]
* This is why, when young children ask where babies come from, adults either explain it in the most vague, G-rated way possible, make something up (like the stork or a cabbage patch), or outright tell them they're not ready to know and won't be til they're older.

* ''Ghosts of the Past'', sequel to ''Fanfic/ChildOfTheStorm'', has [[spoiler: Bucky Barnes]] very bluntly deliver a speech along these lines to Ron (and to Hermione) after the two of them insist on coming with Harry to deal with vampires of [[spoiler: the Grey Court]]. It's not so much a matter of raw power - they're both powerful enough - but the fact that they're not trained, and they don't have the necessary combat experience in supernatural combat ops (while Harry a) has been trained, b) has got the experience, c) has far more raw power to bring to bear). At best, they'd be TheLoad, at worst, they'd be a corpse in short order - vampires are incredibly fast, strong, and vicious, and smart enough to recognise the threat of a wand. Hermione reluctantly accepts the explanation and asks if there's any other way they can help. Ron needs a little more convincing.