I'd say most humans beings would rather not work with assholes if they were given the opportunity to work with decent people instead. Just a hunch. So my advice

I'd say most humans beings would rather not work with assholes if they were given the opportunity to work with decent people instead. Just a hunch. So my advice is pretty stupid but honest: don't accept to work with assholes, period, then you'll make a tiny change in the world. Being a genius, a ninja or a rock star developer doesn't entitle you to be a jerk with anybody. I've always liked myself to be the junior in the room, you learn so much that way, you absorb so much that it's really rewarding in the long run. That part is really nice and you do the right thing feeling that way IMHO, there's always so many things things to grasp that you better go with this attitude. However, it's your choice to stay in such situation. I guarantee to you that are uncountable places out there with really nice people (equally genius, who don't call themselves ninjas or rock stars) who actually care about juniors in the room but you have to look for them instead of going along with this "be a macho, just take it! it's a wild world!" mentality of many IT people.