Wall Street Journal columnist Bret Stephens has a tough-love message for this year’s graduating college seniors.

From his Tuesday piece:

Dear Class of 2012:

Allow me to be the first one not to congratulate you. Through exertions that—let’s be honest—were probably less than heroic, most of you have spent the last few years getting inflated grades in useless subjects in order to obtain a debased degree. Now you’re entering a lousy economy, courtesy of the very president whom you, as freshmen, voted for with such enthusiasm. Please spare us the self-pity about how tough it is to look for a job while living with your parents. They’re the ones who spent a fortune on your education only to get you back— return-to-sender, forwarding address unknown.

Stephens proceeds to school the grads on what he says are the real facts of life:

• Fact One is that, in our “knowledge-based” economy, knowledge counts. Yet here you are, probably the least knowledgeable graduating class in history.

• Fact Two: Your competition is global. Shape up. Don’t end your days like a man I met a few weeks ago in Florida, complaining that Richard Nixon had caused his New York City business to fail by opening up China.

• Fact Three: Your prospective employers can smell BS from miles away. And most of you don’t even know how badly you stink.

•  Fact Four: There will always be a market for people who can [think for themselves].

Harsh, yes.

Justified? You tell us.