The phrase, originating from a textual content message alternate, represents a dismissive response to an unknown contact, usually implying a deliberate disregard for earlier interactions. It leverages the believable deniability of a brand new telephone quantity to feign unfamiliarity. For instance, somebody would possibly use this tactic to keep away from a persistent salesperson or an undesirable acquaintance. This culturally related phrase has advanced past its literal that means to embody a wider vary of disengagement methods, each on-line and offline.
The recognition of this dismissive retort highlights a recent shift in communication patterns. It underscores the growing ease with which people can sever digital connections and handle their social interactions. The flexibility to selectively interact, or disengage, gives a way of management in an more and more interconnected world. The historic context may be traced again to the early days of cell phone expertise when acquiring a brand new quantity was a extra widespread prevalence. This facilitated the plausibility of the “new telephone” excuse. Its subsequent evolution right into a broadly understood meme additional solidified its place in fashionable tradition.
