Why do people have pierced ears?

Different people have different reasons. Mostly for cosmetic purposes; it looks cool. For many people it's a statement saying "I'm different" or "I'm confident". Some people enjoy getting pierced, as a method of stress relief. There's also the peer-pressure aspect that most younger people succumb to. But as I said, different people have different reasons.

Another reason is spirituality. Many cultures around the world have celebrated and exhibited their beliefs through piercing.