The phrase, originating from a textual content message change, 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 cellphone 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 developed past its literal which 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 rising ease with which people can sever digital connections and handle their social interactions. The power to selectively have interaction, or disengage, provides a way of management in an more and more interconnected world. The historic context could be traced again to the early days of cell phone know-how when acquiring a brand new quantity was a extra widespread incidence. This facilitated the plausibility of the “new cellphone” excuse. Its subsequent evolution right into a extensively understood meme additional solidified its place in in style tradition.
