It's the in-between, the sustenance, not just the gears and bolts that make a human. When you forget to find out how the person was built—the oil, chemistry, and the craft—you miss all the beauty.
Mental freedom is the product of mastery in several areas of our lives. We must master ourselves, our relationships, and our money. Mastering one without the others (or some without one) will leave us subject to an undue external influence in the area(s) that remain which will keep us bound. Freedom isn't free, it takes a lot of hard work.