Where? That is really cheap for Combat Arms Earplugs. Are you sure you were looking at CAEPs? Or are you just talking about disposable triple flange ear plugs?
It’s a fair cop. 
I have heard a great deal of unprotected gunfire over the years and always thought that my hearing must have suffered.
But on a medical my hearing was described as uncannily good.
(Should say eerily I suppose…)
The reason that I and my colleagues didn’t wear hearing protection was nothing to do with Macho B. S. but because we always wanted to be aware of what was going on around us even when things seemed quiet.
I would think the best type of earplug would be the electronic kind that allow normal speech and sounds to be heard while only blocking loud sounds like gunshots. I’ve seen several gys use these at the range. But I think they have to be personally fitted and are somewhat expensive.
I’d occasionally go to the range and forget to put my ear plugs in. As soon as I fired the first round, I remembered…quite abruptly. I didn’t care if targets were popping up or not. I put my rifle down and put the plugs in.
In the Air Force, I was issued disposable ear plugs for use on the flight line or while flying. Generally didn’t bother with them. Wish I had. Think I lost part of the upper range of my hearing due to the high pitched whine of F-16 engines…
Cheapos.
Not exactly. There are muscles in the ear that put tension on the stapes and malleus to dampen the vibration, the tensor tympani and the stapedius. Of course, just from reading through this thread you should find it abundantly evident that these muscle reflexes are not a substitute for proper hearing protection.