Good post!

I am several years older than you, so I totally get the change-how-you-do-things adaptations!

Some thoughts, for what they are worth:

See if you can find and spend time with like-minded folks, an apprentice prepper or two, or anyone who appreciates your skills and abilities. Maybe mentor.

Look at jerks a different way: see them as a resource. Maybe they can be seen as mini-disasters to challenge your ability to adapt and overcome? Maybe they can be the source of Dilbert-like humorous how-not-to-do-it stories or lessons for which you can find an appreciative audience [like on this forum or the appropriate trade publication]? Focus on pefecting jerk manipulation and distraction techniques for fun and profit? Is there a reduce-waste or green-recycle program at work that might welcome and even reward your input?

Any interest in climbing the job ladder to have at least part of your job in planning or management so you can head the jerks off at the pass, route their efforts into relatively harmless busywork, or overrule them?

Perhaps you can look a jerks as suffering a disease for which you have sympathy/empathy/extra tolerance, just as you would toward anyone who cannot help how they act, look, sound, - or smell?