Quote from Ghost of Cutten:
Please tell me you're joking! Historically, dividends make up half of total stock market return.
If a $50 stock pays a $1 dividend, it is generally earning at least $1 per annum. So without the dividend, the stock would rise to $51+X (where X is the capital gain or loss depending on market and corporate performance) within 12 months due to accretion of corporate earnings. With the dividend, the stock pays out $1 and goes to $50+X within 12 months.
In both cases the stock becomes more valuable over time (other things being equal) due to accumulated earnings, whether they are retained by the company and used productively, or paid out to investors as a dividend.