Sentence:  When I question them as to what they mean by concepts like liberty and democracy , I find that they fall into two categories : the simpler ones who have simply accepted the shibboleths of their faith without analysis ; and the intelligent , cynical ones who scornfully reply that these <WSD>things</WSD> do n't count any more in the world of to-day . 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  a vaguely specified concern