Is it? The term "a lot" is totally subjective and relative. I would say 43k transactions per day in the broader context, especially considering that it's the entire blockchain, is not a lot. Monero definitely has a committed user base, but I just don't see it going anywhere.
Discussion
Could it also just be the same people “zap washing?”
It certainly could be. The problem with all-inclusive metrics like this is that you can't account for any particular type of transaction, or how a particular type of transaction in the aggregate could impact the whole, and thus the perception based on the whole. It means metrics like this aren't actually useful even if they act as ammunition for making a particular point.
particularly true with XMR perhaps since txs are fungible and the only metric is total txs
as you say, its relative.
and unlike Bitcoin, it just needs to work.
it doesn't need to "go anywhere"