Experience from being a drummer + other things...
Earplugs at gigs? Absolutely! If you only go to one a year then you might expect to soak up the abuse, but on a semi-regular basis - definitely. Ditto clubs and bars of a Friday - more than a few times a year and you are signing your own deaf certificate.
The RNID did work in nightclubs handing out earplugs/mini noise-meters though am sure it went over the heads of most. Now I won't set foot in one without some plugs.
Have heard some really narrow-minded opinions about 'how can you hear anything at all?' (you can, it isn't a vacuum) to 'I have a HNC in audio engineering and we were told all it does is physically stop the frequencies you can hear and still damages through the ones you can't' (what?!)
I used to work in pubs and for me, the noise was a greater risk than the passive smoke. It absolutely stuns me that bars in the UK are not required to offer protection to staff killing their senses. Smoking was phased out and noise in bars should be as well. Criminal. Ditto construction workers - hard working guys just wrecking their senses through ignorance or peer pressure.
Noise on the apron is to be feared and respected. I won't set foot outside the aircraft without some plugs, I even wear them under the headset, such is the noise on the intercom channel. Even ANR headsets give you an unpleasant 'hiss' which is directed straight into the ear. An ambient 320 cockpit is a surprisingly noisy place with all the cooling flow.
Real little hand-grenade this one. More should be done in the workplace to protect staff.
Having said all that it does seem subjective. I appreciate it is my little (big) bugbear and have met flying drummers that have beaten their kit every week for years with no protection that claim to feel no ill effect. I hope it doesn't creep up on them...
Listen safe please!