"Polite" is a subjective term that is meaningless unless it is fully defined and we are doing a time-basis comparison. Polite, compared to what? Polite, defined as what?
What sort of seat should I be offering? I rarely ride buses or trains, but if I do, I will always offer my seat to someone who is less able-bodied or older. HOWEVER, do you have any statistical data that suggests that people have stopped doing this? Furthermore, in what situations is someone required to offer up their seat? Am I obligated to give a pregnant woman my first class seat on an airplane, for instance? Who decides what the rules are in that context? Etiquette and manners are in a constant state of evolution, and they are always developing.
Your contention is solely based upon a hand-wringing commentary that loudly decries the descent of human society into barbarism. The fact of the matter is that it was a whole lot more barbaric 40-50 years ago than it is right now, on the basis of human rights, alone.
For instance, cell phones hardly existed 20 years ago. It's unsurprising that the etiquette surrounding them is still in a state of flux and there is no clear-cut, definitive rule for how they should be handled.
Do you not understand that the discussion, as you've posited it, is incredibly subjective? Or are you more interested in wringing your hands about how everything has gone into the toilet these days than thinking about this logically?
