If I had to make this choice in front of another person, I’d always choose the one that came with higher social standing than whatever I really wanted to watch.

If I had to make this choice in front of another person, I’d always choose the one that came with higher social standing than whatever I really wanted to watch. In other words, I think he did make a choice, but it wasn’t between what he wanted to watch and didn’t want to watch, but between what would look better in front of another person and what wouldn’t.