diff --git a/doc/yambar-modules-foreign-toplevel.5.scd b/doc/yambar-modules-foreign-toplevel.5.scd
index 5ef8c57..94c4b84 100644
--- a/doc/yambar-modules-foreign-toplevel.5.scd
+++ b/doc/yambar-modules-foreign-toplevel.5.scd
@@ -68,8 +68,8 @@ bar:
         content:
           map:
             conditions:
-              (activated == false): {empty: {}}
-              (activated == true):
+              ~activated: {empty: {}}
+              activated:
                 - string: {text: "{app-id}: {title}"}
 ```
 
diff --git a/doc/yambar-modules-i3.5.scd b/doc/yambar-modules-i3.5.scd
index e646183..f82d131 100644
--- a/doc/yambar-modules-i3.5.scd
+++ b/doc/yambar-modules-i3.5.scd
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ bar:
             map:
               default: {string: {text: "{name}"}}
               conditions:
-                (state == focused): {string: {text: "{name}*"}}
+                state == focused: {string: {text: "{name}*"}}
           current: { string: {text: "{application}: {title}"}}
 ```
 
diff --git a/doc/yambar-modules-removables.5.scd b/doc/yambar-modules-removables.5.scd
index 5c34aef..ee7911f 100644
--- a/doc/yambar-modules-removables.5.scd
+++ b/doc/yambar-modules-removables.5.scd
@@ -75,11 +75,11 @@ bar:
         content:
           map:
             conditions:
-              (mounted == false):
+              ~mounted:
                 string:
                   on-click: udisksctl mount -b {device}
                   text: "{label}"
-              (mounted == true):
+              mounted:
                 string:
                   on-click: udisksctl unmount -b {device}
                   text: "{label}"
diff --git a/doc/yambar-modules-river.5.scd b/doc/yambar-modules-river.5.scd
index 2255dc0..7ba2441 100644
--- a/doc/yambar-modules-river.5.scd
+++ b/doc/yambar-modules-river.5.scd
@@ -80,8 +80,8 @@ bar:
         content:
           map:
             conditions:
-              (occupied == false): {empty: {}}
-              (occupied == true):
+              ~occupied: {empty: {}}
+              occupied:
                 string:
                   margin: 5
                   text: "{id}: {state}"
diff --git a/doc/yambar-modules-script.5.scd b/doc/yambar-modules-script.5.scd
index 357bae1..d021bf5 100644
--- a/doc/yambar-modules-script.5.scd
+++ b/doc/yambar-modules-script.5.scd
@@ -134,8 +134,8 @@ bar:
         content:
           map:
             conditions:
-              (status == Paused): {empty: {}}
-              (status == Playing):
+              status == Paused: {empty: {}}
+              status == Playing:
                 content: {string: {text: "{artist} - {title}"}}
 ```
 
diff --git a/doc/yambar-modules.5.scd b/doc/yambar-modules.5.scd
index b7177c4..ef47f62 100644
--- a/doc/yambar-modules.5.scd
+++ b/doc/yambar-modules.5.scd
@@ -69,16 +69,16 @@ in red.
 content:
   map:
     conditions:
-      (carrier == false): {empty: {}}
-      (carrier == true):
+      ~carrier: {empty: {}}
+      carrier:
         map:
           default: {string: {text: , font: *awesome, foreground: ffffff66}}
           conditions:
-            (state == up):
+            state == up:
               map:
                 default: {string: {text: , font: *awesome}}
                 conditions:
-                  (ipv4 == ""): {string: {text: , font: *awesome, foreground: ffffff66}}
+                  ipv4 == "": {string: {text: , font: *awesome, foreground: ffffff66}}
 ```
 
 ## Use yaml anchors
diff --git a/doc/yambar-particles.5.scd b/doc/yambar-particles.5.scd
index f500644..aaf8a92 100644
--- a/doc/yambar-particles.5.scd
+++ b/doc/yambar-particles.5.scd
@@ -208,10 +208,14 @@ content:
 # MAP
 
 This particle maps the values of a specific tag to different
-particles based on conditions. A condition takes the form of:
+particles based on conditions. A condition takes either the form of:
 
 <tag> <operation> <value>
 
+Or, for boolean tags:
+
+<tag>
+
 Where <tag> is the tag you would like to map, <operation> is one of:
 
 [-  ==
@@ -221,22 +225,11 @@ Where <tag> is the tag you would like to map, <operation> is one of:
 :- <=
 :- <
 
-and <value> is the value you would like to compare it to. Conditions
-may be chained together using either '&&' or '||':
+and <value> is the value you would like to compare it to.
 
-<condition1> && <condition2>
+For boolean tags, negation is done with a preceding '~':
 
-You may surround the *whole expression* with parenthesis to make it
-more readable:
-
-(<condition1> && <condition2>)
-
-Note that "nested" conditions are *NOT* supported. That is, something
-like (<condition1> && (<condition2> || <condition3>)) will *NOT* work.
-
-Furthermore, *conditions are evaluated with a strcmp*. This means
-some odd behaviour may arise if prefixes (such as zeroes) are added
-to numerical constants.
+~<tag>
 
 In addition to explicit tag values, you can also specify a
 default/fallback particle.
@@ -264,9 +257,8 @@ content:
     default:
       string:
         text: this is the default particle; the tag's value is now {tag_name}
-	# Note, below, how the parenthesis are optional
     conditions:
-      (tag == one_value):
+      tag == one_value:
         string:
           text: tag's value is now one_value
       tag == another_value:
@@ -275,6 +267,20 @@ content:
 
 ```
 
+For a boolean tag:
+
+```
+content:
+  map:
+    conditions:
+      tag:
+        string:
+        text: tag is true
+      ~tag:
+        string:
+        text: tag is false
+```
+
 # RAMP
 
 This particle uses a range tag to index into an array of
diff --git a/examples/configurations/laptop.conf b/examples/configurations/laptop.conf
index 888b19e..573516c 100644
--- a/examples/configurations/laptop.conf
+++ b/examples/configurations/laptop.conf
@@ -46,73 +46,65 @@ bar:
               foreground: 000000ff
               deco: {stack: [background: {color: bc2b3fff}, <<: *std_underline]}
           - map: &i3_mode
-              tag: mode
               default:
                 - string:
                     margin: 5
                     text: "{mode}"
                     deco: {background: {color: cc421dff}}
                 - empty: {right-margin: 7}
-              values:
-                default: {empty: {}}
+              conditions:
+                mode == default: {empty: {}}
         content:
           "":
             map:
-              tag: state
-              values:
-                focused:   {string: {<<: [*default, *focused]}}
-                unfocused: {string: {<<: *default}}
-                invisible: {string: {<<: [*default, *invisible]}}
-                urgent:    {string: {<<: [*default, *urgent]}}
+              conditions:
+                state == focused:   {string: {<<: [*default, *focused]}}
+                state == unfocused: {string: {<<: *default}}
+                state == invisible: {string: {<<: [*default, *invisible]}}
+                state == urgent:    {string: {<<: [*default, *urgent]}}
           main:
             map:
-              tag: state
-              values:
-                focused:   {string: {<<: [*main, *focused]}}
-                unfocused: {string: {<<: *main}}
-                invisible: {string: {<<: [*main, *invisible]}}
-                urgent:    {string: {<<: [*main, *urgent]}}
+              conditions:
+                state == focused:   {string: {<<: [*main, *focused]}}
+                state == unfocused: {string: {<<: *main}}
+                state == invisible: {string: {<<: [*main, *invisible]}}
+                state == urgent:    {string: {<<: [*main, *urgent]}}
           surfing:
             map:
-              tag: state
-              values:
-                focused: {string: {<<: [*surfing, *focused]}}
-                unfocused: {string: {<<: *surfing}}
-                invisible: {string: {<<: [*surfing, *invisible]}}
-                urgent:    {string: {<<: [*surfing, *urgent]}}
+              conditions:
+                state == focused: {string: {<<: [*surfing, *focused]}}
+                state == unfocused: {string: {<<: *surfing}}
+                state == invisible: {string: {<<: [*surfing, *invisible]}}
+                state == urgent:    {string: {<<: [*surfing, *urgent]}}
           misc:
             map:
-              tag: state
-              values:
-                focused: {string: {<<: [*misc, *focused]}}
-                unfocused: {string: {<<: *misc}}
-                invisible: {string: {<<: [*misc, *invisible]}}
-                urgent:    {string: {<<: [*misc, *urgent]}}
+              conditions:
+                state == focused: {string: {<<: [*misc, *focused]}}
+                state == unfocused: {string: {<<: *misc}}
+                state == invisible: {string: {<<: [*misc, *invisible]}}
+                state == urgent:    {string: {<<: [*misc, *urgent]}}
 
           mail:
             map:
-              tag: state
-              values:
-                focused: {string: {<<: [*mail, *focused]}}
-                unfocused: {string: {<<: *mail}}
-                invisible: {string: {<<: [*mail, *invisible]}}
-                urgent:    {string: {<<: [*mail, *urgent]}}
+              conditions:
+                state == focused: {string: {<<: [*mail, *focused]}}
+                state == unfocused: {string: {<<: *mail}}
+                state == invisible: {string: {<<: [*mail, *invisible]}}
+                state == urgent:    {string: {<<: [*mail, *urgent]}}
           music:
             map:
-              tag: state
-              values:
-                focused: {string: {<<: [*music, *focused]}}
-                unfocused: {string: {<<: *music}}
-                invisible: {string: {<<: [*music, *invisible]}}
-                urgent:    {string: {<<: [*music, *urgent]}}
+              conditions:
+                state == focused: {string: {<<: [*music, *focused]}}
+                state == unfocused: {string: {<<: *music}}
+                state == invisible: {string: {<<: [*music, *invisible]}}
+                state == urgent:    {string: {<<: [*music, *urgent]}}
 
     - foreign-toplevel:
         content:
           map:
-            tag: activated
-            values:
-              false: {empty: {}}
-              true:
+            conditions:
+              ~activated: {empty: {}}
+              activated:
                 - string: {text: "{app-id}", foreground: ffa0a0ff}
                 - string: {text: ": {title}"}
   center:
@@ -123,32 +115,28 @@ bar:
             spacing: 0
             items:
               - map:
-                  tag: state
-                  values:
-                    playing: {string: {text: "{artist}"}}
-                    paused: {string: {text: "{artist}", foreground: ffffff66}}
+                  conditions:
+                    state == playing: {string: {text: "{artist}"}}
+                    state == paused: {string: {text: "{artist}", foreground: ffffff66}}
               - string: {text: " | ", foreground: ffffff66}
               - map:
-                  tag: state
-                  values:
-                    playing: {string: {text: "{album}"}}
-                    paused: {string: {text: "{album}", foreground: ffffff66}}
+                  conditions:
+                    state == playing: {string: {text: "{album}"}}
+                    state == paused: {string: {text: "{album}", foreground: ffffff66}}
               - string: {text: " | ", foreground: ffffff66}
               - map:
-                  tag: state
-                  values:
-                    playing: {string: {text: "{title}", foreground: ffa0a0ff}}
-                    paused: {string: {text: "{title}", foreground: ffffff66}}
+                  conditions:
+                    state == playing: {string: {text: "{title}", foreground: ffa0a0ff}}
+                    state == paused: {string: {text: "{title}", foreground: ffffff66}}
 
         content:
           map:
             margin: 10
-            tag: state
-            values:
-              offline: {string: {text: offline, foreground: ff0000ff}}
-              stopped: {string: {text: stopped}}
-              paused: {list: *artist_album_title}
-              playing: {list: *artist_album_title}
+            conditions:
+              state == offline: {string: {text: offline, foreground: ff0000ff}}
+              state == stopped: {string: {text: stopped}}
+              state == paused: {list: *artist_album_title}
+              state == playing: {list: *artist_album_title}
 
   right:
     - removables:
@@ -158,24 +146,21 @@ bar:
         spacing: 5
         content:
           map:
-            tag: mounted
-            values:
-              false:
+            conditions:
+              ~mounted:
                 map:
-                  tag: optical
                   on-click: udisksctl mount -b {device}
-                  values:
-                    false: [{string: *drive}, {string: {text: "{label}"}}]
-                    true: [{string: *optical}, {string: {text: "{label}"}}]
-              true:
+                  conditions:
+                    ~optical: [{string: *drive}, {string: {text: "{label}"}}]
+                    optical: [{string: *optical}, {string: {text: "{label}"}}]
+              mounted:
                 map:
-                  tag: optical
                   on-click: udisksctl unmount -b {device}
-                  values:
-                    false:
+                  conditions:
+                    ~optical:
                       - string: {<<: *drive, deco: *std_underline}
                       - string: {text: "{label}"}
-                    true:
+                    optical:
                       - string: {<<: *optical, deco: *std_underline}
                       - string: {text: "{label}"}
     - sway-xkb:
@@ -187,36 +172,31 @@ bar:
         name: enp1s0
         content:
           map:
-            tag: carrier
-            values:
-              false: {empty: {}}
-              true:
+            conditions:
+              ~carrier: {empty: {}}
+              carrier:
                 map:
-                  tag: state
                   default: {string: {text: , font: *awesome, foreground: ffffff66}}
-                  values:
-                    up:
+                  conditions:
+                    state == up:
                       map:
-                        tag: ipv4
                         default: {string: {text: , font: *awesome}}
-                        values:
-                          "": {string: {text: , font: *awesome, foreground: ffffff66}}
+                        conditions:
+                          ipv4 == "": {string: {text: , font: *awesome, foreground: ffffff66}}
     - network:
         name: wlp2s0
         content:
           map:
-            tag: state
             default: {string: {text: , font: *awesome, foreground: ffffff66}}
-            values:
-              down: {string: {text: , font: *awesome, foreground: ff0000ff}}
-              up:
+            conditions:
+              state == down: {string: {text: , font: *awesome, foreground: ff0000ff}}
+              state == up:
                 map:
-                  tag: ipv4
                   default:
                     - string: {text: , font: *awesome}
                     - string: {text: "{ssid}"}
-                  values:
-                    "":
+                  conditions:
+                    ipv4 == "":
                       - string: {text: , font: *awesome, foreground: ffffff66}
                       - string: {text: "{ssid}", foreground: ffffff66}
     - alsa:
@@ -224,16 +204,14 @@ bar:
         mixer: Master
         content:
           map:
-            tag: online
-            values:
-              false: {string: {text: , font: *awesome, foreground: ff0000ff}}
-              true:
+            conditions:
+              ~online: {string: {text: , font: *awesome, foreground: ff0000ff}}
+              online:
                 map:
                   on-click: /bin/sh -c "amixer -q sset Speaker unmute && amixer -q sset Headphone unmute && amixer -q sset Master toggle"
-                  tag: muted
-                  values:
-                    true: {string: {text: , font: *awesome, foreground: ffffff66}}
-                    false:
+                  conditions:
+                    muted: {string: {text: , font: *awesome, foreground: ffffff66}}
+                    ~muted:
                       ramp:
                         tag: volume
                         items:
@@ -266,19 +244,18 @@ bar:
                 - string: {text: "{capacity}% {estimate}"}
         content:
           map:
-            tag: state
-            values:
-              unknown:
+            conditions:
+              state == unknown:
                 <<: *discharging
-              discharging:
+              state == discharging:
                 <<: *discharging
-              charging:
+              state == charging:
                 - string: {text: , foreground: 00ff00ff, font: *awesome}
                 - string: {text: "{capacity}% {estimate}"}
-              full:
+              state == full:
                 - string: {text: , foreground: 00ff00ff, font: *awesome}
                 - string: {text: "{capacity}% full"}
-              not charging:
+              state == not charging:
                 - ramp:
                     tag: capacity
                     items:
diff --git a/examples/configurations/river-tags.conf b/examples/configurations/river-tags.conf
index 94e5874..462a329 100644
--- a/examples/configurations/river-tags.conf
+++ b/examples/configurations/river-tags.conf
@@ -16,16 +16,15 @@ bar:
           - base: &river_base
               left-margin: 10
               right-margin: 13 
-              tag: id 
               default: {string: {text: , font: *hack}}
-              values:
-                1: {string: {text: ﳐ, font: *hack}}  
-                2: {string: {text: , font: *hack}}  
-                3: {string: {text: , font: *hack}}  
-                4: {string: {text: , font: *hack}}  
-                5: {string: {text: , font: *hack}}  
-                10: {string: {text: "scratchpad", font: *hack}}  
-                11: {string: {text: "work", font: *hack}}  
+              conditions:
+                id == 1: {string: {text: ﳐ, font: *hack}}  
+                id == 2: {string: {text: , font: *hack}}  
+                id == 3: {string: {text: , font: *hack}}  
+                id == 4: {string: {text: , font: *hack}}  
+                id == 5: {string: {text: , font: *hack}}  
+                id == 10: {string: {text: "scratchpad", font: *hack}}  
+                id == 11: {string: {text: "work", font: *hack}}  
 
         content:
           map:
@@ -33,28 +32,25 @@ bar:
               left: sh -c "riverctl set-focused-tags $((1 << ({id} - 1)))"
               right: sh -c "riverctl toggle-focused-tags $((1 << ({id} -1)))"
               middle: sh -c "riverctl toggle-view-tags $((1 << ({id} -1)))"
-            tag: state
-            values:
-              urgent:
+            conditions:
+              state == urgent:
                 map:
                   <<: *river_base
                   deco: {background: {color: D08770ff}}
-              focused:
+              state == focused:
                 map:
                   <<: *river_base
                   deco: *bg_default
-              visible:
+              state == visible:
                 map:
-                  tag: occupied
-                  values:
-                    false: {map: {<<: *river_base}}
-                    true: {map: {<<: *river_base, deco: *bg_default}}
-              unfocused:
+                  conditions:
+                    ~occupied: {map: {<<: *river_base}}
+                    occupied: {map: {<<: *river_base, deco: *bg_default}}
+              state == unfocused:
                 map:
                   <<: *river_base
-              invisible:
+              state == invisible:
                 map:
-                  tag: occupied
-                  values:
-                    false: {empty: {}}
-                    true: {map: {<<: *river_base, deco: {underline: {size: 3, color: ea6962ff}}}}
+                  conditions:
+                    ~occupied: {empty: {}}
+                    occupied: {map: {<<: *river_base, deco: {underline: {size: 3, color: ea6962ff}}}}