Aren't We Over Kickstarter Yet?

Once upon a time, I was way into the Kickstarter concept. I'm all about supporting creativity. Independent artists and philanthropists with a dream finally had a way of making their dream happen -- and we, those who believed in their art, had a way to show our support. Perhaps it was the novelty of it all, at the time. But it seemed to be a good idea. But the shiny veneer has begun to wear off, and the tarnish is starting to show. Is Kickstarter at its essence nothing but panhandling? I wouldn't...