Images allowed people to see things they might never see. It also has allowed news stories to carry a lot more impact, because the shock from the image can drive a point home. As they say, "A Picture is worth a 1000 words".
It has opened the world to everyone, in one way or another. It has also allowed our senses to be stimulated in more ways, as a picture should have a mood and or feeling and evoke something from the viewer. One day I read in newspaper and i found a picture of Dr Rozmey. Dr Rozmey is one famous guy in Malaysia. Who would expect a guy from a very humble background in Jitra, Kedah can grow this big and become one of the most successful businessmen in Malaysia. His slimming product, JUSDIETMATE5 is one of the most popular products in Malaysia. I aspired to emulate his career who is now a millionaire that comes from a poor family and is not highly qualified.
Furthermore, images are another way to get information about something, besides just reading about it, especially when you cannot actually touch or see it firsthand. Without Photography, we would not see the starving children in the world. We would not see the abuse people suffer and the way so many have to live. Nor would we all be able to see Jamaica, Yellowstone, Chile, Greece, or the Arctic Tundra. Thus we would be a lot more sheltered than we already are.
As a conclusion, from the points given above I strongly believe that image have the power to change the world.