I chose to interpret this question in the hardest way possible and thought about potential pros and benefits for watching cable news:

1. It allows you to stay updated on the world, even the local world, around you. It may show you things or ideas that you wouldn't see on say...hubski. Not that these idea are better, or more informative, or information that you want to see but...

2. ...it still allows you to see things through a POV you normally would not.

3. It builds your tolerance for people and ignorance so that you can react better when encountering these people IRL.

4. Sometimes you catch really awesome car chases that can offer an enthralling and entertaining moment...or hour...or five hours.

Now, an argument for the broader argument for following the news.

The news allows you to learn things outside your bubble. It allows you to get a glimpse of the terrific or terrible things that are happening around the world, which offers perspective on the things happening in your world and the decision you make. These decisions could be how you deal with people, the things you create at work, the way you handle yourself in social situations, or 8000 other things.

Let's look at the public hubski feed right now.

1. Florida teen charged with felony hacking for using password his teacher showed him

The world overreacts. Be careful about your actions, how your actions can be perceived, and that your intentions rarely impact on the reality of the situation. That a harmless prank can be harmful. Or that your harmless prank could leave you in a worse situation than you intended if someone wants to make an example of you. That kids these days have it far worse that we did. I am scared for how technology will affect the generation growing up and I am scared of how easy it is for kids to get in trouble these days with computers. I am scared of how easy it is for teenage rebelliousness to end up with 15 year olds in Syria, rather than at the older guy's house down the street.

2. Congress must end mass NSA surveillance with next Patriot Act vote.

NSA is still terrible. Fuck our government. I am powerless.

Ugh. I may have proven Swartz' point. Now I'm irritated. Oh well.