Im a professional writer and hate photography. I've taken classes because I know occasionally some staff photojournalist won't make it and I don't want my work to appear next to embarassing images. I have no passion or interest in design, but to do corporate work, it's worth knowing how to do the basics.
Now, should pretty graphics lend credence to the information they present? Who cares, really? They absolutely do. That's why every weather site spends so much time on it, even though much of it makes me roll my eyes.
If you self publish anything, professionally, you can learn how to make it look clean in a matter of hours. Thereafter, it won't take any additional time compared to the ugly way. All the work you produce will be more impactful. There's a logic in doing so, however you think about it.