Final answer:
The underlying message suggests that choices are subjective, shaped by personal preferences, cultural background, and situational factors, rather than being objective comparisons or universally accepted truths.
Step-by-step explanation:
The author means by the underlined portion of the excerpt that the decision making is nuanced and influenced by a variety of factors, including personal preferences, situations, experiences, and cultural background. This suggests that subjective factors play a significant role in forming opinions and making choices about various cultural elements such as sports and music. For instance, personal background and location might influence whether someone prefers Socar, a regional sport popular in parts of the world, over a global sport like football. The cultural context, social upbringing, and individual tastes all create different viewpoints and preferences, much like how people might have different opinions on what constitutes art or literature based on their subjective experience and cultural influences.