> There is a world out there about compilers, run-times, drivers, emulators, VMs and OSes that I can't seem to grasp, it is just too complicated for me.
Do you want to become a specialist or a generalist? You can dive into one or two of these topics and specialize the rest of your life into it. By the way: a specialist in any of these topics would probably not know any of the fancy buzzwords you've listed in your resume. As a matter of fact, I think you'd have more career opportunities instead.
Keep in mind that the older generation had a "few layers" to explore and could easily understand each slice until the bare metal. These days, it is much more broad and in-depth.
So you want to specialize in something, or become a generalist?