No I have never seen one on a truly intelligent person, at least one that was visible. Not that intelligence has anything to do with it, but I do not have one either and was 50 before I had my ears pierced, (against my better judgement) and they have now grown back together usmc 50 months ago.
I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.