As much as people push the more succinct if(x)/if(!x) style of expression, I don't know that it is better. Now if your example was if(is_a_thing) then maybe it

As much as people push the more succinct if(x)/if(!x) style of expression, I don't know that it is better. Now if your example was if(is_a_thing) then maybe it reads better. Add to that the possibility of three value logic and I could lean more to the if(x == false) style.