Well, it's certainly an interesting topic.

Free will/determinism.

Others with concious influencing those without.

I don't think many children would be creating poverty. Oh perhaps they were influenced thru the womb (if you want to leave out pre-determinism and/or choice before birth for example) and came in with the mindset, or like above are purely at the influence of the adult consciousnesses they are raised by - personal or society.

Perhaps it's a contest of wills - the mentioned muggers will vs the targets. Micro and macro of course.

Or the multiverse spits it all out, and where we travel is an individual experience and we meet others where they are, so to speak.