Less is More?

I know that there is a school of thought among interior designers that holds that less is more but I didn't know that it extended to electrical and electronic engineers. A couple of nights ago there was a public service announcement on TV to the effect that many appliances, including TVs and computers, use more electricity when they are turned off than when they are running. I have heard this before but thought it must be a mischievous myth because it is an idea of such profound foolishness. Why would anyone design an appliance to use more power off than on? It doesn't seem to be even possible but I know very little about electricity and/or electronics. Not only have these designers made their products more power hungry off than on, they have provided remote controls that encourage us to waste power. What is the value of a remote if we have to get up and unplug the appliance? Or switch off the power strip? I wonder if this is a new development or if these appliances have always consumed more electricity off than on. I wonder what other surprises will surface to shake our faith in everyday operations. The insanity of modern life just keeps increasing.