I think kickstarting with the expectation that you receive something is the wrong idea. I think it works especially well for funding people to create media or fund performances. It's a way for us to help fund/create the world we want to live in.
Personally I would donate to a kickstarter project (or any similar platform) that seemed like projects I would like to build myself, but didn't have the time or skill to do so.
It seems too often that people forget that financial gain is not the end all be all motivation to work on something. It's like asking somebody why they're sitting on the couch watching TV, for free. Or why you're driving that car for free. It's because you enjoy doing it.
It's not a strange person who would want to create something without getting paid for it, even if others benefit. It's not even a strange person who would pay money out of pocket to create something that everyone else got to benefit from for free. So it's not a strange person who donates money toward an idea they're interested in, expecting nothing in return.
