> Imagine if we didn't have that kind of pressure of delivery in the workplace just to get recognition.

While the places I have worked might have a tiny element of this your situation sounds extreme.

What I have seen is yes you do have to do “perception” management to keep a pulse on “how am i rated”.

Having a few long time trusted people vouch “this person is good” helps and all you need to do is work with them and show that you are good, both in attitude and capability.

However your description sounds like a dystopian “house of cards” scenario that I would be looking for another job asap. If the programmers are more like politicians that is very odd and a bad sign.