No Contact - by Noelle Mering (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

An incisive exposé of the widespread, politically motivated "no contact" movement that deconstructs the ideology behind this trend and equips readers to avert estrangement and repair broken relationships from the acclaimed author of Awake, Not Woke

There is a new form of relationship estrangement afoot. While in the past, relationships tended to rupture over issues like abuse, today increasingly people are estranged because of politics. More than 68 million Americans are currently estranged from close family members. Though going "no contact" is frequently framed as an act of empowerment and self-care, behind the numbers are millions of hurting people--and an ideology that threatens not just relationships but the entire fabric of society.

In No Contact, author Noelle Mering weaves interviews and historical research to identify five major factors that have given rise to the no contact movement: identity politics, demythologization of the family, therapeutic culture, infallibility of victimhood, and cultural narcissism alongside spiritual decline. By laying bare the forces behind this destabilizing movement--and how they affect us on personal, familial, and social levels--Mering helps readers to see clearly what is happening, confront it, and work with their families to heal, repair, and strengthen relationships.

More than just a critique, this book is a call to action. By bringing light to an experience that is often shrouded in shame or presented far too reductively to a cheering online audience, No Contact empowers readers with a clear-eyed and compassionate perspective that rejects zero-sum political polarization and coerced silence and avoidance. The stakes are high. If we cannot hold fast to one another in the face of disagreement, we risk losing not only our most intimate bonds, but the foundation of a free and humane society.

About the Author

Noelle Mering is a fellow at the Washington D.C.-based Ethics and Public Policy Center. She is author of Awake, Not Woke: A Christian Response to the Cult of Progressive Ideology and co-author of the popular Theology of Home book series. She writes on culture, politics, and religion and has published in National Review, Newsweek, Daily Wire, The Federalist, The American Mind, Catholic World Report, and National Catholic Register. Noelle has been featured multiple times on Fox News (including Primetime), EWTN, in various documentaries, and numerous radio shows and podcasts. She is a highly sought-after public speaker on topics of family, human flourishing, and navigating the complexities of hot-button ideologies with grace. Noelle is a wife and mother of six children in Southern California.