I am dumbfounded at the fighting for the seats. I can't figure out who is ruder, the older ones set in theie ways or the younger ones picking up the habit.

I've personally had more minor altercations with the younger ones. The last and final one was when I asked a teenage boy to get up for a lady that looked to be 100 damn years old THAT APPARENTLY WAS HIS RELATIVE. She yelled at me in what I believe was heavy disapproval and my bf had to intervene. This 100 yro lady wanted to kick my ass. I have learned my lesson about coming to peoples aid here. Its 70/30 chance you will regret it.

grinder rule #55: go with the flow or get out of the way

If you have ever gotten on the subway you will be amazed at the amount of people that won't give up their seats to a pregnant woman, an elderly person, a person with a child, or a sick person! I had to give up my seat numerous times just because the person sitting next to me was pretending that the old lady was not even there. After that I always got good looks from the people in the subway plus it is a good deed and it makes me feel good to do good things for good people. 

I c certainly let my feelings be know when I see a teenager sitting on a bus seat when an elderly person has to stand. i just talk loudly about how rude it  is in English. I normally have no idea if they understand or not, but with a bit of body language and some associated glaring it regularly does the job and they either get up or spend the rest of the journey staring at their phone or trying to not look in my eyes. They know they are wrong and I think they feel uncomfortable about it.
 As an answer to the question the older generation are less selfish and if their manners are bad it is due to ignorance whereas the many of the younger generation just have a spoiled attitude.
I must also clarify that many (more than 70%) of people do give up their seats in Shenyang from my personal observations.

I disagree, I think the older ones are much smarter. Don't forget many of them can remember life before Mao Zedong and his tyranny. My wife's grandmother is really cool at 87, she spoke english at one time, was educated in a western school as a kid. The commies took her parents toggery and all that. She's got no love for the CPC and was thrilled her granddaughter was marrying a westerner. 

As for being rude, it's hard to say. I think it's more the country vs. city people. The bumpkins grew up in a much more every man for himself type environment, I always find them rude and ignorant. Beijingers are usually pretty chill and don't scramble for subway seats or fight for cabs. They're much more civilized. 

I remember when I first came here I used to get one of the second to last stops on line one for work. So coming back the train was empty. The first station with people, they would all run in like a race to get subway seats. Then sit their giggle and laughing with their friends after securing one. Women in their 30s and 40s did this, I found it so degrading. 

5-10 year olds are the rudest ever. especially in groups. the will run upto you and just stare for days even touching you.