Is South Node that bad? No

1
Apparently not. See Chris Brennan's chart. SN with the scorpio planets in 10th house.
Would you say his career was emptied out, to use Ben Dykes words, that he is a failure?

https://www.astro.com/astro-databank/Brennan,_Chris

Or my cousin. He ran several banks and companies is rich and now plays golf round the world. He has Sun,Mercury, Venus ,MC and SN in virgo in the 11th house.
They certainly exaggerated a bit those ancient astrologers.

2
The south node reduces the effects of any planet it is with. In Brennan’s chart it is with Mercury and Saturn, rulers of the 8th and 12th so you could say the south node reduces the impact of the harm those houses could cause him. And as it is also with the Sun it is also reducing the status he can achieve in our society, probably why he is not royalty :)

3
janegca wrote:The south node reduces the effects of any planet it is with. In Brennan’s chart it is with Mercury and Saturn, rulers of the 8th and 12th so you could say the south node reduces the impact of the harm those houses could cause him. And as it is also with the Sun it is also reducing the status he can achieve in our society, probably why he is not royalty :)
You do realise he lost a sister in a car crash? 3rd ruler is in 12th and is ruled by Saturn. He also had problems with publishers

6
You do realise he lost a sister in a car crash? 3rd ruler is in 12th and is ruled by Saturn. He also had problems with publishers
No, I was not aware of that. I said it "reduced" effects, not that it negated them.