don't laugh.

[Danzig]

in ancient china, the rulers tried to claim they were gods, sent from heaven to rule. that part isn't really as it odd as it initially sounds-it's been a tool for a variety of cultures for centuries.
of course it still elicited a laugh from me.
it's funny that you pointed out similarities to 1984 in another thread. that's the book that kept coming to mind while i was reading the article that kev had posted.