i dunno what kind of life lex have before but he really is paranoid
From what I understand of Lex from all the movies, animes and some comics that I have read Luthor represents the Perfect Human's imperfection paradox. He is Intelligent he came from nothing and by his own strength and intelligence built an Empire, he is proud of his achievements and that inevitably gives him an ego. One of the oldest Superman comics I remember reading had this perfect illustration showing this on the last page where Lex stands at the window looking down on metropolis everyone has to look up to him and no one can look down on him but then Superman flies across the sky and Superman isn't even looking at him he's looking ahead as he is flying somewhere but lex has to look up at superman. this one Illustration and the text in it perfectly represents their relationship. The Intense personal jealousy that Lex feels towards Superman. Superman just goes around doing his good samaritan thing being a hero, Blessed by Alien genetics making him nearly invincible giving him flight and all kinds of powers. While Lex who has to come second after Superman even though Lex had to exercise for every muscle he has, had to work to earn every cent he has, had to study and learn to gain the knowledge of science he has, is not considered the Hero of Metropolis no matter how much money he donates for the good of the people of Metropolis he will always be behind superman, and this is the reason for the deep Psychosis in Lex that makes Lex Blame superman for his own villany. I think it was the animated movie "All-star Superman" that also shows this relationship. He doesn't see his own greed and his desire to be adored by people as his faults... its kinda messed up, but all humans have these same faults no matter how intelligent, Kind or generous they are. You could become a Monk or a priest/preistess with no worldly possesions and still that desire to have something better will still be there at the back of your mind scratching away no matter how deep you try to push ir or how much you ignore it it's never going away.
But Ultimately it just depends on what the writer needs the character to be plenty of times Lex has been depicted as a Hero or just a shallow evil criminal minded scum with no depth. heck isn't the current version of Lex luthor in the main continuity of DC comics the next Superman doing good deeds in metropolis wearing power-armor with the Superman S on his chest ? cause the Superman is dead or something.
Fortunately for us Sunsetrider's version of Lex is somewhat perverted.