Exploring the Meaning of Mainstream

In her article, Sarah Thornton writes about a night of clubbing in London. She gives an example of what topics are on or off-limits at parties, stating that, "It is rude to puncture the bubble of an institution where fantasies of identity are a key pleasure." The idea that people desire living "double-lives" or having multiple identities [in this case, a club life/persona, and a non-club life/persona] that are mutually exclusive seems unhealthy and yet practical. Take, for example, the woman who Sarah encounters at a club, who will openly share her romantic problems while doing ecstacy, but won't answer questions about her profession. It seems as if she leads a "regular" life, and then clubs and participates in drug use on nights or weekends, striking a balance.

However, there are people who Sarah calls the "professional clubbers" who "get lost within the excesses and irresponsibilities of youth. With no dividing line between work and leisure, those in the business of creating night-time fantasy worlds often become their own worst victims." Are there other modern examples of young fantasy worlds, that are not in the clubbing genre, that must be divided from work? How does one separate the two, and at what point do you think it can become dangerous?