I posted this on the BL facebook (yes, that’s me too) after Faraday posted it, because I do think this actually is inherent to gracious dialogue. Understanding “why” people do things is the first step to understanding them. We don’t change people’s minds by beating them down by facts and evidence, it just doesn’t happen like that. People are moved by stories, seeing why others believe what they do, etc.
For more on this, please see Monica Guzman’s podcast episode.