That’s a depressing look at Eugene! It is a university town so maybe that explains some of it. Seems like a lot of young people have piercings and tattoos around here as well. “Dirty” I don’t know. I don’t think it’s an attractive fashion but the ones I really dislike are the studs in the tongue and through the cheeks or the ring in the nose Yechh!
Having said that, my back neighbor, a young guy has plugs in his ear lobes and he is a good person. It comes down to individuals.