To be fair, for some people, it is the case that everyone they work with is a moron. For example, high IQ / low EQ can lead to a position where:
- You won't get higher-end jobs due to low EQ
- Lower-end jobs, you'll be surrounded by people who, relative to you, are morons
There are lots of other situations like this, and it's tough. I've rarely found myself in this position, but part of that is luck. College pedigree and early resume slots make a big difference. I have friends who were less fortunate.
It's worth noting that the high IQ / low EQ example above is relative -- this can be a FAANG-level tech person working for an average tech firm, a mediocre programmer working tech support, and all the way down. There's a very deep pit of crappy jobs, all the way down to a pretty good mathematician I knew who ended up driving a bus.
"Low EQ" can also be a proxy for other things which would preclude a higher-end job, from being an immigrant with poor English skills (or otherwise facing discrimination), to complex distractions (e.g. having serious health problems, a litigation, or a family situation, or otherwise).