I want something that will last and care little for what others think of me for not having a brand.
Exactly!
Your last paragraph is on-point and I agree completely. I grew up in a family environment where there was little left over once the necessities were paid for and it instilled in me a strong need over want ethos and a healthy respect for what I had. I buy for quality now, longevity and durability as you say, but that doesn't always mean a brand name is required.
Lastly, I like what you say about worth also, "your worth is that you are person, there is no other "you." Well said.
I didn't grow up wanting, and so I can understand some of the name brand obsession, but my parents kept me grounded. They didn't buy flashy things.
I'm working to do the same with my kids. My wife actually started watching Minimalist vidoes a while back. They gave her (and us) the idea to go through their (and our) toys and take out the ones nobody has played with for months. After a few months of being in a closet, if they're not missed at all, then they get donated.
It's helped me pause and consciously evaluate any non-essential purchases by asking, "Will I use this regularly, or will it collect dust in a corner or on a shelf?"
That's a good process; people tend to get caught up in accumulating things these days, an agenda pushed by corporations and marketers I guess. Some are necessary of course, much is not.