Playing God with Our Phones: Lessons from Bruce Almighty on Mastering Information Overload

In the 2003 comedy Bruce Almighty, Jim Carrey’s character, Bruce Nolan, is gifted divine powers and quickly finds himself overwhelmed by a flood of prayers—millions of voices clamoring for attention. It’s a hilarious yet profound scene that mirrors a modern struggle: the relentless deluge of information we face daily. From social media notifications to 24/7 news cycles, our brains are bombarded with data, and trying to keep up can feel like playing God. Drawing on insights from our recent conversation with Andrew Laubacher of Humanality.org, this post explores how Bruce’s chaotic experience reflects our own and offers wisdom on mastering the information flood to live with clarity and purpose.

The Prayer Flood: A Metaphor for Our Digital Age

In Bruce Almighty, Bruce is hit with every prayer at once—a cacophony of human needs he’s unprepared to handle. This mirrors our daily reality. Since the information explosion of the 20th century, particularly post-1940s with the rise of mass media and now the internet, we’re drowning in data. Studies estimate we’re exposed to millions of bits of sensory input per second, yet our brains can only process about 40-50 consciously. As Laubacher, author of Hallow's Digital Detox, notes, this overload began overwhelming human cognition around a century ago, and today’s social media frenzy has only amplified it, leading to anxiety, burnout, and fractured focus. The sheer volume of information influx creates the illusion of ubiquity - we are energetically tied to everything everywhere, a condition traditionally relegated to God Himself.

Bruce’s struggle to sort prayers with Post-it notes and a computer system reflects our own attempts to manage the chaos—think to-do lists, productivity apps, or multitasking. But his real lesson comes when he learns to filter and prioritize, focusing on what truly matters. Similarly, we must learn to curate our attention to avoid being swept away by the digital tide.

The Pseudo-God Trap

A striking insight emerges when we connect Bruce’s overwhelm to our smartphone habits. By trying to consume every tweet, news alert, or Instagram post, we’re attempting a godlike feat: processing infinite information. Laubacher, a devout advocate for digital detox, argues that this overload isn’t just cognitively taxing—it’s a form of hubris. In religious terms, it’s like assuming a “pseudo-God” role, chasing omniscience we’re not built for. In Bruce Almighty, Bruce’s attempt to answer every prayer with a blanket “yes” causes chaos (like lottery riots), just as our unfiltered data consumption creates mental and emotional turmoil. Research backs this: excessive social media use is linked to higher stress and depression (Twenge, 2017).

Bruce’s arc shows that infinite processing power is meant to be a divine attribute, not a human one. Trying to keep up with every notification is like Bruce trying to hear every prayer—it’s a recipe for collapse.

Mastering the Flood: Lessons from Bruce

So, how do we avoid playing God and find peace in the information age? Bruce’s journey offers four key lessons:

1. Filter the Noise: Bruce learns to prioritize meaningful prayers over the chaos. Similarly, curate your inputs—limit notifications, unsubscribe from irrelevant emails, or set specific times for social media. Studies show reducing screen time by just 30 minutes daily boosts well-being (Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 2020).

2. Focus with Intention: Bruce’s shift from selfish to selfless focus transforms his life. Choose what aligns with your values—whether it’s family, work, or personal growth—and let it guide your attention. Practices like mindfulness meditation or journaling can train your brain to stay present.

3. Embrace Limits: Bruce accepts he can’t solve every problem, finding humility. Accept your finite attention span. Set boundaries, like no-phone zones, and prioritize rest—sleep and breaks restore your ability to focus (APA, 2018).

4. Pause and Recalibrate: When overwhelmed, Bruce seeks guidance. When you feel swamped, pause. A quick “priority check” (e.g., “What’s the one thing that matters now?”) or deep breathing can recenter you.

The Hidden Truth

The deeper truth in Bruce Almighty is that our attention is our superpower—and our responsibility. By chasing every bit of data, we risk not just overwhelm but disconnection from what makes us human: meaningful relationships, purpose, and presence. Laubacher’s call for digital detox echoes Bruce’s realization that we’re not meant to be God. Instead, we’re editors of our own reality, choosing what to amplify and what to tune out. In a world of infinite inputs, this selective focus is our closest equivalent to divine power.

Call to Action

Reflect on your own “prayer flood.” What’s overwhelming you—endless notifications, news, or internal noise? Try one small step today: turn off non-essential alerts, set a single priority for the day, or take a 10-minute digital break. Like Bruce, you’ll find that by focusing on what matters, you can turn chaos into clarity.

Bruce Almighty is more than a comedy—it’s a mirror for our data-drenched lives. By learning from Bruce’s overwhelm and Laubacher’s wisdom, we can avoid the pseudo-God trap and master the information flood. Our attention is finite, but when wielded with intention, it’s a powerful tool to craft a life of meaning. So, put down the phone, choose your focus, and step back from playing God. Your human heart will thank you.

Faramarz Hidaji, MD