It's not about choice, nor the user, it is just smoke and mirrors to describe a point upgrade from Windows 7 with yet another shell, which may just be another application in future versions of Windows.
Take the phrase "Typography is the new Iconography". This is a truly profound statement - for lightness and speed, all the Metro "icons" are glyphs in the Windows 8 version of the TrueType font SegoeUIsym.ttf, (see
here), instead of being packaged in various resource dlls. Each symbol therefore appears as a monochrome white, on a coloured background. We are almost back to the DOS command screen (onto which you typed a command directly, just like in Metro).
The fast boot takes you to Metro Start - why? - because the desktop takes too long to draw consistently without the few seconds hesitation the user requires to make a choice, find the tile required, and start the application. Networks also take a short while to shake hands.
Consistently, Microsoft's PR re. Windows 8 uses the phrase "no compromise" or something similar - they mean it - Metro is here to stay.
The arrogance is immense, but we've come to expect that from Microsoft, and we still have a choice with the next PC we buy - either use the supplied Windows that's preinstalled, or do it yourself with someone else's OS, or something that is old and unsupported, and probably illegal.