Twenty-somethings are more self-absorbed and independent than ever, if Morely Safer of “60 Minutesâ€Â is right.

On our weekly Campus Speak man on the street run, Multimedia Editor Joe Hollak referred me to Safer̢۪s story, as near to an indictment of you and your attitude problems as Safer would muster.

Safer said, in part:

But for sure, there is an almost evangelical fervor about this work philosophy — no stick, all carrots. And believe it or not, all this prodding, praising, peddling, cajoling and psychobabble is worth $50 billion a year in business. Ain’t America great?

Where else you find free back rubs for the deserving worker bee? What̢۪s wrong with a happy workplace and taking your time to grow up?

Watch the story if you must, but the real battle is in the comments.

Self-identified baby boomers backed Safer, and others argued that students face real challenges earlier on. Because the economy of the 80s and 90s all but obliterated American blue-collar jobs, one commenter wrote, college these days is mandatory.

It doesn’t prepare students for real life or the workforce, and parents hadn’t picked up the slack. Maybe it’s the other way around: colleges haven’t bothered to pick up the slack our parents left by coddling us.

If these commenters represent the maturing generation, then we really do blame our parents̢۪ lack of involvement for being the messed-up generation as we enter the workplace.

The commenters prove Safer̢۪s story right on one point: kids these days are more self-centered or at least irresponsible.

As the comments show, we can̢۪t help but point the finger at someone else.

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In other news: they better not end up calling this Plant-gate; Stephen Colbert loses an election; and oh hell, they have.