It’s not the abstraction, it’s the level of abstraction - the higher you go, the more general and the less concrete it becomes. Striking the balance is the key.
When you're entering the U.S. or Canada, you surrender your rights by default. The border agents can search all your belongings, including any of your digital device. At the border, less is more; bring less, tell less. Once they start digging, be prepared to answer a lot of questions.