randomuser80

This made me chuckle. You're absolutely right.

Personally, consuming news is a source of entertainment and a topic for small-talk.

If you interface with clients or coworkers on a daily basis, "small-talk" improves relationships among your peers. Not to mention, you seem more personable and likeable - traits that are revered in the modern workplace.

This isn't a blanket endorsement to start talking politics in the workplace, I'm simply saying that being well-versed in current events has value.