 Dmowski had a scientist 's background and thus and preferred logic and reason over emotion and passion . He once told famous pianist Ignacy Jan Paderewski that music was " mere noise " . Dmowski felt very strongly that Poles should abandon what he considered to be foolish romantic nationalism and useless gestures of defiance and should instead work hard at becoming businessmen and scientists . Dmowski was very much influenced by Social Darwinist theories , then popular in the Western world , and saw life as a merciless struggle between " strong " nations who dominated and " weak " nations who were dominated . 
