It appears that most goths find it better to fade out than to burn out

In my time, I've seen spectacular examples of both.  Too many funerals, but also many, many happy endings.

It has taken me a couple days to get around to this article...

Growing-up for goths | Education | The Guardian: 

Continuing with education and getting a decent job while staying involved isn't as hard for goths as it may be for those involved in other youth subcultures, some of which promote disengagement with school to the point that academic failure is all but inevitable.

"It's a relatively middle-class subculture, so despite … all the going out and being into the music, goths have always had a fairly positive view of people who are also achieving academically."

It means goths may have better career options than an outsider might expect. Succeeding in their chosen career had, Hodkinson observes, become increasingly important to those he interviewed as they moved into their late 20s and 30s, and he was surprised by how much participants in his study were willing to adapt their look to fit in at work. "I even gave people scenarios where they couldn't wear certain things. I expected them to say that they'd have to leave [their job], but they said they'd have to seriously consider it."

Most of his sample said they still were recognised as goths at work, but had toned down their look. "They retained a residual element of the appearance, but felt, for example, that colourful dyed hair wasn't going to work, and they'd stopped painting their nails black."

'via Blog this'

As for me and my family?  Well, every once in awhile one of the boys will mention dying their hair, but I haven't got them pinned down yet.  And their mom still won't let me give them mohawks!  (Whine.)

I am not a listable goth. No. Am I? Of course I am not...